Poisoned Heart
by Genevieve.Ravenclaw
Summary: Life 8 years after the war is very different from what they all imagined it to be. Hermione has dedicated herself to rebuilding the ministry and now leads a secret life of an Unspeakable, never to reveal the details of her work to anyone. That is until her work life and private life crash together in a spectacle she never expected. Pairing: Fred/Hermione/George. R&R!
1. Prologue

**PROLOGUE**

 **2nd November 2006**

A soft amused laugh sounded from one of the luxurious private booths in the Golden Dragon, one of the best magical restaurants built in London after the war. Anastasia Danilenko, known to the muggle world as a famous Ukrainian model, was looking at her beautiful companion with a mischievous smile, coquettishly twirling a soft pale brown strand of sleek hair around her thin finger.

"You could not possibly mean it," she teased her companion, her Eastern European accent adding to her endless charm.

Olivia Carlson leaned forward in her seat just a little bit, the strapless ruby dress pushing her cleavage just a little bit closer together in subtle response to the seduction, her blond curls gathered elegantly around her shoulders. "I do. London has been great for new wonders. You are only the second woman I have been charmed by, but my first was a Londoner to the bone," her sweet, American smile of straight white teeth positively endearing.

Anastasia took her in with a sharp grey gaze and leaned forward after the waiter dropped off their bill. "Here," she unobtrusively passed her a plastic key card to a room in the opulent hotel beside the restaurant. "I will be waiting for you to charm you even further. Seventh floor, and don't keep me waiting," she nearly purred and left several notes on the table to cover them.

Olivia gave her a sweet smile, her cheeks rosy at such a proposal. "I won't," she promised, looking around as if to check shyly that no one noticed them exchanging such intimate words.

Anastasia slid out of the booth elegantly and left first, impatient to indulge in the sweet American girl before she had to leave for a photoshoot in Moscow the following day. She reached her room and took off her heels and dress, wrapping her nude body in a soft hotel bathrobe. She just finished brushing through her hair when a timid knock on the door announced the arrival of her awaited companion. She opened the door with a predatory smile, pulling the beautiful blond into her embrace and before Olivia had a chance to say a word, she was pressed against the closing door and her lips were claimed in a passionate kiss.

"You are so beautiful," Anastasia whispered erotically in her ear, her hand squeezing the blonde's thin waist.

She was just about to claim those sweet pink lips once more when a deep ache in her belly made her stumble backwards. Her world began to spin as she tried to focus on the woman fussing by her side for her safety, but she slipped into the darkness of unconsciousness and knew no more of what was going on around her.

The blond stood calmly and took off her heels, feeling the first tendrils of pain in her chest. She managed to slide down the zipper of her tight dress just in time before her body began shifting, slim arms filing in with toned muscles, thighs growing sturdy and hips curving outwards to accommodate a heavier, stronger form. The straw blond in the loose curls gave way to a beautiful tight curls of chestnut colour with auburn undertones. The last hint of Olivia Carlson disappeared, leaving Unspeakable Hermione Granger standing in her place.

She got to work quickly, digging into her enchanted purse for a pair of jeans and a black long sleeve top, chucking the dress and the tall pumps back into the enlarged purse. She slid her aching feet into a pair of simple black flats and tied her curls up carefully for the job ahead of her.

She left the unconscious woman on the floor and got started on the bed. She mussed up the sheets a bit to make them appear slept in, spilt a few drops of the opened Moët & Chandon strategically over the sheets and gently floated Anastasia into them. She tucked her in a bit and then turned her on her back, making her appear restless. The poison was working well and the model would die within the hour, painlessly and in her sleep, as was Hermione's specialty. She went over the whole room and the door with cleaning charms, leaving no trace of her own DNA or that of Olivia Carson in the room, knowing the stolen identity would do no good to appear in the muggle police investigation. Finally, she emptied two bottles of the expensive champagne down the drain and left them by the bed side, to indicate heavy drinking. She pulled on a pair of gloves and opened the door, making sure to leave no trace of anyone other than the model in the room. Her last job was to charm the cameras in the hallway, lift, and the foyer, confusing them and wiping them out completely for the last 8 hours in a sudden system failure. She was leaving the hotel casually under notice-me-not charms to avoid any muggle detection, smiling when she noticed the security staff scrambling about to sort out the technical issue caused by her magic.

She pulled on a warm hoodie against the fall chill and found a quiet alley one block away behind a Chinese bistro. After apparating back to her flat, Hermione fell straight into bed to sleep off the effects of the altered long-term Polyjuice potion that was so taxing for her body. The last thought on her mind was that her mission was accomplished, and she could finally have her two weeks of holidays…


	2. Chapter 1

**AN: Dearest readers and followers, thank you all for welcoming me and my stories back after my sabbatical to finish my studies! Sadly as it sometimes happens, a spiteful reader reported some of my stories and I have lost nearly half of my account along with your amazing reviews and support. But I have hope that there are amazing readers out there and by your reviews, I look forward to hopefully shaking off this bad experience and enjoying this story with all of you. Thank you for taking the time to follow and review, I hope you continue to enjoy Poisoned Heart as much as I do :)**

 **Always,**

 **Sybilla Slytherin**

* * *

The next morning dawned early but Hermione slept through the sunrise, only stirred from a deep healing rest when her alarm clock rang unforgivingly at half past eight. She rolled over and flicked her wrist with a spell to silence it, blearily sitting up and starting to undress. The shower was hot and heavenly on her aching muscles and she made sure to stretch out and spend at least twenty minutes under the hot, powerful stream to relax. Prolonged Polyjuice was invented, unsurprisingly by Severus Snape, just a year before the end of the war. He nearly died the night of the final battle but surprisingly managed to survive, Hermione thought perhaps through sheer stubbornness to displeasing Voldemort with his survival, and has ever since patented a few of his inventions that her department now used on different missions. This version of the potion kept the chosen identity for 8 hours at a time, but was physically taxing for the one who drank it, and led to fatigue, migraines, and occasional nosebleeds. Hermione only ever used it when necessary and always made sure to take extra time to recuperate after a mission that required its use.

She finally settled on her sofa in a soft blue bathrobe, a plate of toast with apricot jam by her side, and a cup of iced coffee balancing on her knee as she turned on her television and searched for a celebrity gossip news. She turned the volume up as a young American presenter began discussing in faked shock the latest drama in the celebrity world, getting through the first two stories of divorce and heartbreak to the death of the famous Ukrainian model Anastasia Danilenko.

 _"The London Metropolitan Police is investigating the surprise death of model Anastasia Danilenko, popularly known on social media under her artistic name Dani. Her body was found late last night in a hotel in South London and our source indicated that she was alone in her hotel room at the time of death. Her death comes as a shock just two weeks after her appearance in Fergie's latest music video to a hit single Fergalicious…"_

Hermione nodded in satisfaction and just to be sure switched to a news channel to confirm the news about the investigation. The muggle police and their CSIs would find no trace of foul play, the magical potion traces covered by the alcohol in the deceased model's blood stream. And Hermione saw Anastasia drink 3 or 4 glasses of the heady bubbly easily over the course of their light dinner. They would rule it out as accidental death caused by effects of years of bulimia and excessive drinking, causing the collapse of her lungs and heart. Nice and easy for the muggles, and nothing to suspect about her death in the magical world.

Anastasia Danilenko may have been a muggle model, but she was also a spy for Alexander Reznikov, nicknamed 'Sasha' by interpol and other secret services. He was the boss of Ukrainian muggle mafia and also the Dark Arts movement in the old Soviet block. They've been tracking his movement and actions for the past two years, and undermining his access to foreign intelligence Danilenko used to gather for him would definitely slow him down. Kingsley will be very pleased.

It took her another half an hour to get ready and don her Unspeakables Ministry robe before she flooed to the Atrium and headed to report to the Minister himself, Kingsley Shacklebolt. His secretary Athena, a bubbly young witch fresh out of Hogwarts, motioned for her to hold on just a moment as she peaked inside his office to announce her before sending her right in.

"Accidental death? Well played," Kingsley walked around the table and embraced the brilliant witch. She has been a most valued colleague and friend since the end of the war, and the fact that he was re-elected two years ago by a high popular vote was most definitely thanks to her help.

"She was too famous to disappear quietly or go violently," she explained and sat down into the comfortable armchair across from him. "I will have the final report for you by lunch time, but I first need to check in downstairs before I head off."

"Two weeks this time?" Kingsley asked as he signed her pay check and handed it over for her to claim in Gringotts.

"Yes, I plan to just lay low, enjoy some reading and catch up with the family," she smiled fondly. "So, tea on Thursday?" she asked.

Kingsley chuckled. "Absolutely. Matilda misses you, and she apparently started watching something on BBC to do with baking. I can't complain, her scones are to die for," he added fondly, his new bride bringing a fresh light to his life.

Hermione chuckled fondly at Matilda's latest interest. "Well, how could I ever refuse tea and scones! Give her my best and I'll come round at the usual time?" she suggested.

Kingsley nodded and stood to see her out of his office. "I'll see you in a few days then. Catch some rest?"

"Promise," she waved and headed down in the elevator to the nether depths of the enchanted building.

There were many rooms and offices in the Department of Mysteries. A lot of the people who worked here hardly knew anyone else at the Ministry, they were a very tightly knit group for a very good reason. Most of them were researchers, but the specialised unit Hermione belonged to was not quite the same. It took six years after the war to run the trials, make the reforms and purge the Ministry of the old regime. New blood from Hogwarts and other European schools came to enrich the workforce and the Ministry was actually not half bad these days. Trials were fair, the system timely and worked for the benefit of the new order in Wizarding Britain. They were finally recovered and the society was healing. But there were still foreign and new domestic threats to their world, their secrecy from the muggle world, and the peace that cost them so many lives in the fight with Voldemort.

So Hermione let Kingsley contemplate the idea for a secret services similarly ran to the muggle model, and Unit 25 was the result. There was only six of them in their unit, but life was never boring, and they were a surprisingly effective collective of colleagues. The one person no one would expect on their team was the officially retired Severus Snape. Despite his aversion to the whole espionage business following the many years of spying for Voldemort, Hermione managed to persuade him to come out of hiding and consult with them on potions. Everything he made was patented under his company name and he received dividends for. It was a deal that made sure his retirement in a few years was something to truly enjoy.

Another surprise field agent was Lord Malfoy, thought Draco rarely used his formal title unless they were arguing over something stupid and he wanted to wind her up. Kingsley hesitated with appointing the young Slytherin, but knowing how hard Draco worked following the incarceration of his parents after the war to restore the family name, she pressed for him to offer the blond a try. And it turned out to be a great success, because Draco was one of the best agents the Ministry ever hired. Just as Hermione's choice of weapon was poison, Draco's was rather surprisingly muggle firearms. Her bets were on Draco learning about guns through muggle films, and then ordering some to familiarise himself with. He took her to a range once and she saw just how skilled and precise he was when he practiced. Hermione hated guns herself, but as they often staged deaths of the threats to Wizarding Britain in the muggle world, she understood his method. Plus, she knew enough about the weapons to at least understand how quickly they dispatched the unwanted person. And despite having license to kill, they most certainly did not have license to do so by Unforgivable means, so the killing curse was not a possibility even in self defence.

Very few people would expect Neville to be involved with a secret Ministry espionage unit, and working with his childhood nightmare of a potions professor. But he was their lead expert on Herbology and grew many an ingredient for the dour Potions Master these days. Hermione even once caught them in the middle of an argument about Mandrakes and was proud to see the once stuttering classmate of hers was holding himself rather well in face of cutting words.

Receiving the occasional grumpy look in Gringotts was still rather amusing to her. Perhaps the dwarfs would never forgive her for taking their best curse-breaker and retraining him for their Unit. Bill Weasley was their third and final agent in the field, and his skills and experience were truly invaluable. He often took missions in North Africa and France, where he understood the culture and languages, a skill that Hermione forever envied. But his understanding of curses was an even more enviable skill that all of his colleagues occasionally relied on during their missions.

The three of them were the most valued spies in Wizarding Britain, and yet they couldn't do their work without the one person who understood the fast-developing muggle technology and helped them navigate it; Padma Patil. After the war her family tried to whisk Padma and her twin Parvati out of Britain, but Padma refused to leave and decided to contribute to rebuilding of the Wizarding society and Hogwarts. She often told Hermione she missed her estranged family, but they kept in touch with Parvati from time the time, despite her sister being busy with her husband and four children. Padma's life couldn't be any more different from Parvati's, Hermione secretly mused. Having studied IT in muggle London, she met the one person who made her question the foundation of her identity, her girlfriend Kai. The two women were the perfect comedy act, and whenever they headed out for drinks together, Hermione always ended up giggly and watching their verbal table tennis with great enjoyment. She hoped someday someone would look at her the way Padma looked at Kai, with love and passion.

Her magical signature let her through into their unit, and Hermione headed for her office which was tucked away neatly in the corner. Draco was already waiting for her in her office, feet propped up on her desk and a cheeky grin lighting up his face as she took her seat and regarded him from across her desk.

"You're grinning, dear," she raised a brow as she readied her laptop to type up her final report.

"You tested my poison prototype and it passed with flying colours, of course I'm grinning," Draco said flippantly.

"Your prototype?" Hermione asked pointedly.

"Well, yours and mine, but you know what I mean," he waved his hand dismissively, making Hermione roll her eyes at his aristocratic manners.

"Uh-huh, keep that up and I'll drop something in your tea," she snickered, tossed him the empty vial and let the blond examine it. "See any issues?" she asked.

Draco frowned as he looked at the colour of the copper vial. Certain brews could not be stored in glass vials and his guess was that the safest and least interactive of the possible vials for the poison would be copper. Hermione agreed. And they were sadly both wrong. "Discolouration at the bottom of the vial, how unusual," he mused.

"By the distinct pale green colour I would say there is some sort of corrosive reaction but I have no idea why," she mused.

"Hmmm….I'm going to have a look in the lab and maybe consult Severus," Draco stood and headed for the door distractedly. "I'll catch you later, Granger," he managed before the door snapped shut.

Hermione chuckled and quickly finished her report in peace before sending it up to Kingsley and leaving with a few final goodbyes to her colleagues. Perhaps a cup of tea and some lunch would do her good. She had some shopping to do this afternoon before she would get busy in the next two weeks.

Dragon Alley was busy as always and she waded through the mass of people, heading for a newly opened and not yet popular cafe on the corner. They served the most amazing carrot and coriander soup and she was in the mood for something light. Her plans were however altered when an unforgettable voice found her in the lunch hour crowd.

"MIMI!" a small bouncy girl dashed towards her.


	3. Chapter 2

Hermione smiled brightly and leaned down to catch the little girl hurtling her way. "Roxy!" she pulled her up on her hip and tickled her side.

"I missed you," Roxy grinned, one of her front teeth still missing after the baby ones had fallen out.

Hermione chuckled fondly, petting her beautiful tight curls. She frowned a little when she noticed a little tangle at the nape of her neck and felt for it. "Has daddy missed a bit again?"

She nodded, giggling. "He tugged too much so I ran away. But then he promised to take me out for ice cream so I let daddy comb it again. He didn't take me out for ice cream yet though," she frowned.

Hermione grinned. "And where is daddy and uncle Freddie now?" she asked.

"Uhm…" she looked around, glad to be in her Mimi's arms so she could see better around the tall people. "There!" she pointed at the twins that were just exiting Flourish and Blotts.

Hermione raised her arm to wave at them and they hurried over, George looking stormy and Fred grinning from ear to ear.

"Roxanne Weasley, what have I told you about running away from me?" George said sternly, clearly having worried about her disappearance.

Roxy looked down before lifting her soft jade eyes again to look at him apologetically. "I just wanted to say hi to Mimi. I already have my books and you were taking so long, but I saw her through the window and wanted to say hello," she said in a small voice.

But George knew better than to be fooled by that look. There was intelligence clear in those green eyes, the eyes she inherited from both his and Angelina's grandmothers. "Next time you ask to go, not run away without a word. If you do, I will remove you from the wards on the shop," he threatened.

Roxy gasped and fisted her small hands in Hermione's robes. "But daddy no!"

"Yes, I will, so you best behave," He warned once more before turning to Hermione. "Sorry Mi, didn't mean to hold you up," he leaned in for a peck on the cheek.

"Not at all, I was actually going to see if you wanted to have lunch. I've just returned from an assignment and wanted to catch up," she smiled and pecked Fred's cheek as well because it would simply not do to greet them differently.

"What say you, Forge?" Fred asked his brother.

"I say I'm starving, Gred. Let's get lunch," George replied in his usual laid back manner.

"And I want ice cream," Roxy said resolutely, pointing their way much to the amusement of the adults.

As Roxy took George's hand and they led the way, trying to decide where they could have both lunch and the promised ice cream, Hermione took Fred's gallantly offered elbow and they followed the two. "I'm sorry I haven't called in the last week, my assignment kept me very busy," she apologised, having missed her best friends.

"You and your assignments," Fred tutted but his manner remained playful. "Don't worry about it. How long do you have for a lunch break? Or do you have the rest of the day off?" he asked, no one really sure how her department functioned.

"I actually had some time saved up for a holiday so I'm off work for two weeks," she revealed, only a small white lie that wouldn't hurt. Laying low and being on a holiday was technically the same thing, sort of….

"Ah, well you can't get out of family lunch then. Roxy has missed you, as she always does," he admitted, glad to see his niece with Hermione as a female influence in her life.

"I missed her too. Didn't miss the two of you at all though," she said flippantly and squealed when quick fingers tickled her sensitive side for the cheek. "Alright, I give! I missed my best friends too," she grinned, watching Fred beam in that playful way of his.

"Of course you did, what is not to miss? We are fabulous," he winked before sobering. "But really, how have you been?" he asked a little bit worriedly.

Hermione knew immediately the reason for his tone and just shook her head. "I'm fine, really. I just don't want to talk about it. Your brother is no longer a part of my life and I am honestly glad for it," she admitted softly.

Ronald Weasley, the keeper for the Chudley Cannons Quidditch team, was finally forced to marry last weekend and Hermione had little to say on the subject when she saw the photographs from the wedding. The person she once loved as a friend and as a man looked desperate but resolved next to Lavender Brown who was already showing. The wedding reeked of Molly Weasley's forceful touch, and all Hermione could think when she read the announcement next to the photo was that she was happy this was not her life.

After the kiss in the heat of the moment during the battle, Hermione realised that what she thought was love for Ron was just feelings of friendships that got mixed up along the way. They were so busy with funerals, and Hermione with helping Poppy heal the wounded and look after Fred while he recovered. The elder twin was touch and go for a while but they had managed to cushion the impact of the wall that fell on him, so the injuries weren't quite so severe. Hermione remembered the wreck George turned into at the idea of loosing the other half of his being, and shuddered at the memory. But he pulled through and just as they all thought they could catch a break, the news about Angelina Jones came.

Angelina, already engaged to George since that March, was hit by one of the dark spells and her brain kept swelling. She was put in a magical comma to see if her body would heal but the healers had little faith. The most shocking revelation however came when Poppy told George Angelina was expecting their child, already 12 weeks along. George was once again desolate at the idea of loosing his fiancee and their unborn child.

Hermione did not feel particularly romantic in those months and continued to dissuade Ron's obvious attempts to once again start dating, until one day she snapped.

 _They were standing by Fred's bedside and she was checking his vitals and the progress of his healing when he hugged her from behind._

 _"_ _Ron, please let me go. I'm tired, and I need a shower. It's been along day and I'm not in the mood right now," she sighed, filling in the chart to add to Fred's records._

 _"_ _That's the problem, you're never in the mood. What happened to being together after the war?" Ron let her go and was looking at her angrily._

 _"_ _I guess we both changed," Hermione said softly, trying to find a way to once again explain she did not want to do this. "I'm sorry Ron but I don't have time for a relationship and I don't feel ready for one right now. Please don't wait for me like I waited for you when we were in school," she added honestly, hoping they could be reasonable._

 _But that was apparently beyond reason with the redhead. "Oh so now it's my fault," he hissed._

 _"_ _I never said that," Hermione sighed. "And keep your voice down, these patients need rest," she motioned around the otherwise silent infirmary._

 _"_ _Forget it, I'm done. We're done. I hope you'll be a happy spinster, " Ron said finally and stormed out._

 _Hermione sat down beside Fred's bed heavily and rubbed her tired eyes. She felt a touch on her shoulder and looked up to see a sleepy Fred looking at her. "You're awake. Are you in pain? Do you need any more medication?" she asked, seeing his bones were still mending._

 _Fred just motioned her closer until she leaned in to hear him better. "Don't mind…my brother….he'll be sorry…to have let you go…" he said, surprising the brunette into a small smile._

 _"_ _Thanks Fred. Do you want me to get George?" she asked, looking across the room to where the other twin was sitting next to Angelina's bedside._

 _Fred just shook his head. "Not now….potions.." he asked and she helped him drink the pain relievers until he returned to sleep._

It was the start of her now infamous friendship with the twins, and it was only solidified when little Roxy was born 8 and a half months into Angelina's pregnancy, and the last of the strong young woman's magic ensured the health of her baby before her body went into a system shut down. Roxanne Weasley, named after Angelina's grandmother, was born a beautiful healthy baby girl on the 1st of November 1998. George was inconsolable. He lost his fiancee and couldn't even look at the beautiful daughter he was left with. And since Fred was still recovering, they stayed at Hogwarts on Minerva's invitation so Poppy could keep an eye on them.

Hermione made sure to check in on Roxy every couple of hours in between helping Poppy and checking everyone's healing, and for the first two months they managed this way. Fred was recovering well and started popping back to the flat above their shop to do some much needed repairs and extensions for a guest room and Roxy's room. George took a while to come out of his mourning but he started tentatively taking care of his daughter and they all soon got into a rhythm.

Due to her falling out with Ron, Hermione was no longer invited to the Burrow so readily, and since once again he decided to stick with his best mate, Harry gradually stopped visiting or writing, the two of them no longer close at all. She lost both her best friends in the first six months after the war and she wished it had been different. But it was again Fred and George that offered her their guest room while she handled her financial affairs after her parents' death in Australia, and found a home for herself. And so they lived for the first few months of Roxy's life, taking turns with her, restarting their business, and Hermione figuring out what she wanted to do in life.

In the end it worked out quite well. Minerva arranged for her to take the exams in the spring of 1999, and by May she was hired directly by Kingsley to help him sort out the Ministry, and the diplomatic relations with muggle Britain. It took her four years but she graduated with a muggle Masters degree in International relations, and did three years of a part-time joint Master apprenticeship in Transfiguration and Potion. It was hard work and there was a time when she wanted to do nothing better than to quit and go on a holiday to Menorca, but she kept going for her biggest fans, the twins and little Roxy. The degree she felt most proud of was the title she gained by being Roxy's godmother. She even had the diploma Roxy drew for her when she was 5, which stated she received the title of 'The Best Godmother in the World'. She had it framed next to her degree certificate and Mastery medal.

Her friendship with the twins was strong and grew very comfortable over the years. She spent a lot of time with Roxy as well, and they went on a holiday together at least once a year. Having such close friends and Roxy in her life made it much more enjoyable.

"Hermione?" Fred asked with a brow, unused to her lack of focus.

"Sorry, was thinking about the last time we went to Spain. Where are we going on a holiday next?" she asked to distract away from her lack of focus.

"I don't know…..France? Italy?" Fred mused, not having given it serious thought but it has been a few months since they took a break and it would be nice to maybe go for a few days somewhere coastal.

"Something to discuss over lunch for sure, I'm starving," she chuckled and they finally took their seats at the new restaurant she wanted to visit, taking of the heavy coats that protected them from the late autumn chill.

"Can I sit with you, Mimi?" Roxy asked hopefully.

"Of course you can," she smiled and pulled her up into her lap. "How is my favourite fellow portioner?" she asked.

Roxy beamed. "I made play-goo yesterday!" she said proudly, enjoying her beginner potions kit to the fullest, and considering the fact that making the magical version of play-doh was one of the most difficult recipes in the little book that came with the kit, she was certainly showing an aptitude.

"Well done, I am so proud of you," Hermione beamed back. "I shall have to get you a new set to try out ," she said while they looked at the menu.

"Do you have shopping to do?" George asked, his menu closed as he already knew what he was getting.

"I was going to browse a bit, and maybe pop into muggle London to get some more winter clothes. It's supposed to be a freezing winter," she mused. "Want to join me?"

"Under one condition," Fred grinned. "You'll stay for dinner and for a night of board games," he stipulated.

"Deal," she grinned, looking forward to her day now much more than when it began.


	4. Chapter 3

**AN: Dearest followers and reviewers,**

 **Thank you so much for your support and I hope you're enjoying the story as much as I enjoy writing it. I'm hoping to get rid of a pesky chest infection that is currently cottoning my mind, and post throughout the holiday period. To all of you I send warm wishes for the winter season, and whether you are celebrating or not, may you enjoy some time to rest and I can't wait to bring you all the next two chapters on the Christmas Day (for some) and on the 1st of January to aid your hangovers (you know who I'm talking about missy!) and hopefully make you smile with the start of the New Year.**

 **Yours always,**

 **Sybilla**

* * *

"Is that the one you drew yesterday?" Hermione asked, looking over Roxy's shoulder at a somewhat confusing picture of Diagon Alley. It looked very little like Diagon Alley, more like a very colourful set of cubes with triangles on top of them, but if Roxy said it was Diagon Alley, she was glad she didn't have to try and guess.

"Uh-huh, and this is the bookshop, and this is daddy's shop, and this is uncle Freddie but he didn't believe me it was him when I showed him," she pouted.

Hermione smothered a chuckle and gently divided another section of Roxy's thick curls to condition and detangle. It has become a bit of a ritual for them. When Hermione could, she would stop by once week for an evening of detangle, wash, condition, and styling of Roxy's beautiful hair. Some of the potions sold in apothecaries were a godsend, especially when she discovered that they could be poured into spray bottles and sprayed directly on the hair to keep the tight curls healthy. "Uncle Freddie has no understanding of art," Hermione explained with a grin, jumping a bit when a small stinging hex hit her bum.

"I heard that!" came from somewhere in the living room, and George snickered while he wrestled a head of cauliflower into small pieces for roasting.

Roxy giggled and showed her another drawing, of her little figure drawn with a brown pencil, and three other figures drawn with a pink one. "And this is us in the park. Everybody was asking why mummy isn't like me, but I told them you weren't mummy, you are my god mummy," she beamed.

Hermione smiled fondly as she gently pulled out the last of the tangles and washed her hands. "Does it bother you that we look different?" she asked, now that they were side by side and the difference between Hermione's pale skin with a few freckles and Roxy's lovely caramel skin tone were very obvious.

Roxy looked like she was thinking for a moment before shaking her head. "I don't mind that we look different, you're still my Mimi," she said, her beautiful green eyes, the eyes of her grandmother, looking up at her with unconditional love only a child is capable of.

Hermione picked her out of her chair and pulled her up into her arms. "And you'll always be my Roxy," she smooched her cheek until the little girl giggled. "Now come on, let's go wash your hair before we plait it," she said as she secured the 7-year-old on her hip and carried her into the bathroom to use the sink.

Later that evening once Roxy was all boardgamed-out, settled and asleep, Hermione changed into a pair of shorts and a strappy top for her comfort, and padded back into the living room to join the twins. Three nicely chilled chocolate porter beers were already waiting at the table and George brought in some cheese and grapes to snack on.

"I swear she's getting more difficult to get to sleep. So many questions," Hermione grinned, reminded of herself when she was that little and the ever-present look of patience on her mother's face. That last thought made her smile sober a little but she picked up her beer and took a sip, ready to enjoy a nice relaxed evening in good company.

"You're not done with questions for tonight I'm afraid," Fred came in after changing into his pjs as well, and sat beside her, pulling her into a friendly embrace. She was warm and soft, and he loved the smell of her lavender shampoo. It was a shame that the witch was not on the market. As far as he knew, Hermione didn't date, period.

"I'm not?" she raised her brow questioningly.

George walked over to a small table and pulled a letter out of the drawer, handing it over. "We got this when we popped into the reception to wish the newlyweds good luck," he said with a hint of distaste, as the family rift has grown over the last few years and the twins barely ever chose going to the Burrow. "Harry didn't know your address and the letter kept returning to him due to your wards. He asked if we could deliver it to you," he explained.

Hermione took it from him and ripped it open, taking another sip of the flavoursome beer while she scanned the single page. "He says he has apologies to make and asks if I could possibly give him a fire call," she sighed and set it on the table, looking at it with melancholy weighing her brow.

"We didn't think you weren't speaking at all. Did he really show no interest?" Fred asked curiously.

"Nope, not when I broke it off with Ron. Harry wanted to be an auror but when Ginny broke up with him, he went down the same route as Ron and had some fun. I didn't disagree with his lifestyle, I would never judge him. But for the first time in our friendship, he judged me on my actions to let Ron go and focus on myself. I don't even know what happened, we just….didn't talk. At all," she said, to this day saddened and mystified by the end of her closest friendship. They had survived living in a freezing tent in the middle of the Forest of Dean, and yet they just drifted apart like they were strangers once their duties were done.

"Will you give him a call?" George asked as he pulled her crossed feet up into his lap and rubbed her tired ankles.

"I'll have a think on it. For now, let's plan. So, holiday this year, winter, or summer, or both?" she asked, changing the subject completely.

After a few suggestions and another beer, they cleaned up the kitchen and headed for bed. Hermione reached into the bedside table in the guest room and with a smile found that they've left a new book to read for her in the drawer, most likely George's idea who's forever talking books with her now that Roxy could read and demanded her own library.

She didn't even realise she dozed off until a vivid dream gripped her and the face of Sasha in all its dangerous icy beauty appeared before her. _"We are coming for you…."_ he whispered, the words echoing in her mind and sending her sense into overload. His piercing blue eyes were different than the last time she had seen them in pictures. Darker, more dangerous, more wild, as if insanity was gripping his mind even further now. _"We will find you, and take you…."_ his thin lips parted to speak the words before a laugh that sounded like the gates of hell opening up made her bolt upright in the bed.

"Hey, it's just a dream," Fred was holding her shoulders and tried to calm her down as she worked on slowing her breathing. She wiped her damp forehead and accepted the warm embrace of his arms. "Are you alight?" he asked worriedly. It wasn't unusual for them to have nightmares, sometimes he even dreamt about the war again and the brick wall falling on him, but Hermione was usually much calmer in the face of fright. To see her this shaken was a new experience.

She managed to gather herself and pulled out of his arms. "I'm fine, just one of those reoccurring dreams," she tried to downplay the situation and scooted back in the bed, the book that has fallen into her lap sliding down onto the bed. "Oh by the way, thank you for the book," she offered a small smile, hoping it would change the subject.

Fred did not look convinced but if she didn't want to talk about it, he wouldn't push. "That's George's doing, he said you'd enjoy it the next time you stay around," he offered and watched her calm down and caress the cover of the now closed book. He could see her enjoyment of books every time she found a new one and just couldn't help herself but caress the front cover, like a woman caressing her lover before they embarked on a journey of discovery and pleasure together.

"Well thanks anyway, I've wanted to get this one just haven't gotten around to it yet," she mused. "And sorry for waking you up. I hope I didn't wake up Roxy?"

"Np, she's out like the light. She sleeps as heavily as George these days," he snickered. "Do you want me to stay?" he asked, wondering if she needed comfort. He knew it may not be a good idea, her shorts were…well, short, and her top did nothing to disguise the rise of her chest with each breath, but he was her best friend first and foremost and if she wanted him there, he would be by her side.

Hermione paused, unused to comfort anymore and not sure she could sleep after the dream but nodded and scooted back, letting Fred crawl in beside her under the covers. He let her settle and roll into his arms before holding her tight until he saw her eyes close. Content in the knowledge that she was going to sleep again, he pressed a featherlight kiss to her forehead and was back asleep in minutes.

Once his breathing evened out, Hermione's eyes opened and she began to focus on the dream she had. It was starting to feel less like a dream and more like a message. But in order to deliver a message in the dream, Reznikov would have to utilise magic in one of three possible ways;

a) a dream manifesting potion,

b) dark arts that focus on her energy which worryingly meant he had a personal item of hers to syphon her magic and target her dreams, or

c) he has become a vampire.

All three options were terrifying, but only one seemed acutely possible. Sasha Reznikov has been bitten and now is one of the undead. The piercing wild eyes, the hypnotic voice and the fact that he was manifesting in her dream were all a dead giveaway. She was supposed to be on a break but this was information she had to pass onto her colleagues first thing in the morning.

Also, he said something about coming for her, finding her and taking her. That clearly posed an issue. They must know what she looks like if they were able to manifest in her dreams. It also means they knew about her involvement in Danilenko's death, and potentially where she lives despite it being classified. She would have to distance herself from the twins and Roxy to prevent them being associated with her, if they already haven't been spotted. For the first time in her life, Hermione felt uncertain whether her work and her private life could stay separate.

In the meantime, she would catch some sleep because she sensed he would not disturb her dreams after delivering the message. Fitful sleep in the arms of a man she considered her best friend, and someone whose company she enjoyed but kept at arms length in order to protect them both. If only she had known what the fates had in store for her…..


	5. Chapter 4

**12th November 2006, 3.21 pm**

Hermione chuckled as Roxy ran ahead through the park gate. The weather was not too cold yet and the sun was out, a perfectly mild day for a walk through the city. Hermione had picked Roxy up in her magical preschool and took her out for a meal in one of the Italian restaurants for the little one's favourite, spaghetti bolognese. And since there was a park on the way, she couldn't say no when Roxy asked to be taken for a walk to prolong their time together.

"Not too far, Roxy!" she called and quickened her step to catch up with her.

Roxy was already on the swing, her bag by the swing pole and her little legs trying to kick out to get moving. "Will you help me Mimi?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course," she smiled fondly and unbuttoned her light coat to get a better swing in.

"Mione!" someone shouted, startling her badly and her wand was aiming at the possible offender as she turned around, covering Roxy from sight.

She blinked in surprise and lowered her wand. "Harry? What are you doing here?" she asked suspiciously.

"Just taking Teddy out for a walk. Teddy, this is Hermione Granger, my friend," he introduced her, the words making Hermione nearly twitch at the presumption.

"Hello miss Herminee," he extended his small hand to her politely.

She shook his hand with a smile, seeing the eyes of Remus Lupin staring up at her cautiously. "Hello Teddy, nice to meet you. And this is Roxy," she waved at the girl who had jumped down from the swing.

"Hi Rox," he grinned.

"Hi Teddy," she beamed, all pretty smiles.

Hermione raised a brow and Harry shrugged. "Same preschool," he explained.

"Alright, Teddy, would you swing Roxy up on the swing?" she suggested and watched as he enthusiastically nodded. "Alright, we'll be just here, watching carefully. And don't step in the way of the swing," she reminded as the two dashed for the swing again and in moments Roxy was shining high up with a happy laugh.

Harry came to stand beside her and cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Did you uhm…get my letter?" he asked cautiously.

"I did," she said simply, without taking her eyes off the kids, her wand in her sleeve at the ready just in case they hurt themselves.

"Okay," he shuffled his hands into the pockets of his jeans and rolled back on his heels a bit, a nervous habit he had kept from teenage years.

Hermione sighed and decided to give him a break. "You have five minutes of my time, shoot," she said and waited to hear what he wanted to talk about.

Harry studied her for a long moment, surprised by the steel in her tone and her cold demeanour. They occasionally caught sight of each other in the halls of the ministry but very rarely. And the prophet never wrote about her anymore really, which he found odd cause they were still on his and Ron's tail any moment they could. His once best friend has changed drastically. She looked more filled out, rosy in the cheeks, skin almost glowing in the autumn sunshine. Her once shoulder length crazy curls were still wild and untamed but now reached midway on her back, looking healthy and glossy. And she was wearing a dress, something he didn't see her wear often when they were younger. She looked good, but different. Her whiskey eyes were hard as steel, guarded, and there was a lithe, dangerous aura around her. She was on edge around him and he was saddened to know their easy friendship was lost because of him.

"Four minutes," she broke him out of his thoughts and raised an inpatient brow.

"Umm yes," he cleared his throat again and turned fully towards her. "I'm sorry. After the war I was sick of everyone telling me what to do and in between the funerals, I was loosing too many friends. I didn't handle the split between you and Ron well," he said cautiously but with true remorse in his words.

Hermione nodded. "That I can forgive, despite it being selfish of you. What I find difficult to accept is the fact that you haven't made any effort whatsoever to make amends for years. Almost eight years of working in the same place and yet no word of apology, or even a hello," she said firmly. "So why are you trying to make apologies now?" she prodded, wanting to know his true motives.

Surprisingly enough Harry blushed. That only made her more intrigued. "Out with it. You have two minutes left," she reminded.

"I'm dating Draco," he blurted out.

Hermione looked at him incredulously. "You're…oh that sneaky ferret," she chuckled, suddenly finding the whole situation hilarious. So that's why Draco was walking around like the cat who got the cream. Her filthy mind provided a visual to that metaphor in very realistic terms and she scrunched up her nose, not exactly keep to imagine their sex life.

"You don't mind?" Harry asked, trying to gage her reaction.

Hermione shrugged. "If that's what you and Draco want, then what does anyone's opinion matter? I hope you will be happy together," she said simply, most definitely not about to judge her good friend and her once best friend if they wanted to hit it up. "Just no details please, from either of you," she snickered.

"So you do work together," Harry grinned. "He doesn't discuss work but I recently took up the Head Auror post and got a briefing folder on the cooperation of our units. I had a feeling you had something to do with Unit 25, you both do," he said nearly triumphantly.

His smile however waned when Hermione gave him a sharp look. "And that is all you will ever know about Unit 25. Don't expect to learn who we are or what we do. You would need special permission from Kings himself," she said quite frankly, unimpressed by his gloating over figuring out their jobs.

"You're right, sorry. I just wanted to know how you are, and to once again say sorry," he said and rolled back on his heels again nervously.

Hermione bit back more sharp remarks and sighed. "Apology accepted. But if you want to be friends again, you have a long way to go to persuade me about it," she sad finally, making up her mind that she would give him one more chance.

"Thanks Mione," he grinned.

"That is not my name," she said sharply, having hated that nickname since Ronald instated it in their first year.

"Sorry, Hermione," he backtracked, seeing he had to get to know this new woman that was once his best friend. "Maybe we could do a double date, if you are seeing someone?" he suggested to get back the easier atmosphere.

"I don't date, but tell Draco I'll be your fag hag for the night," she grinned, knowing Draco will be snickering himself silly when Harry tells him she called herself a fag hag. His sense of humour was dry as a bone but gay jokes never bothered him and Hermione never used them with malice, only as jibes. He was always teasing her for hear beast of a hair in return, so tit for tat. Really she was happy to see her friend so happy.

"I will," he nodded and looked at his watch, knowing they had to go to make time for dinner. "I'll see you around, yeah?"

Hermione waved them off and took Roxy's hand. "How about a visit to the bookshop and some hot chocolate?" she suggests, laughing when the energetic little girl nearly took her arm off in her haste.

 **7th December 2006, 9 pm**

The rickety wooden doors to the stall opened and a new customer came in. The young man looked hesitantly around at all the satin and brocade and the tarot cards. The sounds of the surrounding funfair permeated dully through the wood of the old stall, and the scent of a woody burning incense tickled his nose.

"Take a seat," the words floated from behind one of the curtains, spoken near sensually. He looked at the small table with its two bare chairs, a pack of large tarot cards placed neatly on a square cloth on one side. He sat across from the painted deck and waited as instructed.

He didn't have to wait long. The dull sound of heels on wooden boards could be heard as a woman with a head full of black curls rounded the corner. Her skin was the colour of caramel, her ruby skirt was voluminous and twisted around her legs as she walked, and a corset narrowed her waist into a controlled hourglass shape. She was exactly what he imagined she would be, for every funfair had a gypsy fortune teller.

"You have a pressing question," she said as she sat across from him, reaching across the table and waiting for him to touch her hand.

He nodded and offered his hand palm up, watching as she traced a few lines etched into the skin. "Ah, yes. Your woman, she passed to the spirit realm recently," she said gently, looking at him with companionable sorrow. "Do you wish to know whether you will once again feel love? Or whether you will have an heir? Or have you come seeking questions about what future holds for you in general?" she asked, awaiting his response.

He took his hand back and took a deep breath before nodding at the cards. "I want to know what future holds for me," he replied, his words slightly accented with a French lilt.

The woman motioned at the card deck. "Shuffle the cards and choose three that feel right. Place them down as they are," she instructed and watched him do so, placing down his past, present, and future.

She picked up the first card and turned it over, revealing the card of Death. "Your past has been very changeably, most notably changed by the passing of your late wife. This card usually indicates a general unhappiness in your work life, and stress that results from it. You have been balancing your life for a long while, neither letting go of what is weighing you, nor pursuing something new," she looked up at him and turned the middle card that indicated his present.

The Judgement in reverse. "You are a man who tends to jump to conclusions where there is no need. It impacts your work life and also personal life in terms of relationships. You are in the process of changing, as may be someone close to you, a family member or a dear friend. Find your feet, allow for the changes in you and your close ones to settle and then decide whether to work on the relationship or let it go," she interpreted before turning the last card, his future, showing the Empress.

"The Empress is an archetype of feminine power; mysterious, fertile, and sexual. She augurs a need for us to be in touch with our feminine side, to listen to our intuition, and to give priority to our emotions and our passions. She can signify coming abundance, most definitely a positive card for your future. The Empress will bring you fortune in your finances and work life, as well as a new balance in your spiritual life, and your love life. This will be time for love, your future will hold someone new, a true love," she read before taking the cards and putting them back into the deck, cleansing it over a burning candle of the man's touch.

The man sat there quietly, stunned by the words he didn't expect to hear. This was supposed to be a simple mission, deliver the message and go. He didn't expect to have his life read and advised on in such a manner. Was it a fluke or did she truly possess the magic to divine his future and the path his life was taking? He shook himself and looked at the smiling woman across from him.

"Your life is truly on a good path despite your past troubles and current tension. Believe in yourself and trust your judgement," were her final words of encouragement. "Now, that will be £20," she pointed to the little sign, reminding the customer of the price for her services.

"Oh, right," he pulled out the folded £20 note and handed it over, looking her in the eyes for a moment longer before leaving without a word.

The woman saw there were no more customers and headed back behind the curtain. She put the travel kettle on to drown out the rustling sound and unwrapped the bank note to find a written note inside.

 _SUSPICIONS CONFIRMED, TRANSFORMATION HAS TAKEN PLACE. 55.1848° N, 30.2016° E_

She quickly closed down the stall and apparated back to her flat in London. It would be a bit longer before the polyjuice wore off but Hermione knew this was priceless information. She picked up some floo powder and shouted out the address to Draco's house in Belgravia, London.

She came out of the floo and quickly spelled away the dust, looking around the flat. He would still be awake without a doubt, judging by the bottle of wine on the coffee table.

"Draco!" she called, heading for his kitchen to get a cup of tea from his peppermint stash. He usually drank half of her rose tea when he visited, and she liked to get some of the fresh peppermint leaves from his window sill.

She was just about pouring the water over the leaves when Draco came into the kitchen, a bathrobe haphazardly wrapped around his clearly nude form, and a grumpy frown on his forehead. He noticed she wasn't whom he expected and Hermione found herself with a want pressed into her pulse point. "Polyjuice still in effect," she explained.

"What did I ask you to get for me three weeks ago in muggle London while I was away on a mission?" he asked a question only she could possibly know.

Hermione snickered. "A pair of breast-shaped chocolate lollipops from one of the sex shops, as a prank gift for Padma's Christmas stocking. To be fair I think she'll actually find them hilarious and share them with Kai," she winked.

Seeing it was really Hermione, Draco pocketed his wand and relaxed a bit. "This better be good, woman," he grumbled and accepted a steaming cup as well.

"Oh it really is," she handed over the note before getting back to her cuppa, adding some honey in to soothe her sore throat.

"Coordinates? To what?" he frowned in thought.

"Judging by the numbers, I would guess somewhere near the boarder between Russia and Belarus. I received this from our friends in Brussels, they've been monitoring the shifts in the realms of magical creatures. They've confirmed Sasha has been turned into a vampire and these coordinates are his new headquarters. He might have taken over someone's nest, expanding his territory and power," she explained before taking a sharp breath, feeling the change coming on.

She set her cup down quickly and tried to breathe but couldn't, the corset cinching too tight on her more voluptuous figure. "Dray…" she gasped, motioning at her corset.

He didn't hesitate and cut through all the lacing in with one simple severing charm, puling the corset off and supporting her on her feet while the change shifted her features. Her hair once again lightened to its chestnut colour, the black long sleeve top she had worn under the corset filled out with her curvy shape, and the skirt tightened just a bit on her waist, the band thankfully adjustable.

"Alright?" Draco asked, and helped her over to a chair.

"Yes, fine," she wiped the perspiration from her forehead and gratefully accepted her cup. "I'm just a bit tired. I've spent three hours in that bloody thing," she pointed at the corset, flicking the ruined lacing into the fireplace flames and pocketing the shrunken corset itself.

Neither of them noticed that they've had an audience this whole time until Harry finally piped up. "So this is what your job looks like," he said, looking somber and tired, but there was a rosy tinge to his cheeks.

Now that she looked at both of them, they were equally naked under their bathrobes and sporting a soft satisfied glow. "Right, this is my cue then," she went to get up but she had to grip the chair at the vertigo that overcame her.

"Nonsense, come. My guest room is yours for the night," Draco wrapped an arm around her waist and Harry took her teacup, both of them helping her settle down in bed and watching her succumb to rest the moment her head hit the pillow.

Once the door was close, Draco turned sharply to his lover. "Not a word to anyone. How much did you hear?" he asked firmly.

"Enough to know my best friend is still the bravest person I know," Harry said simply, his gaze never wavering and perfectly honest.

Draco relaxed and wrapped his arms around his neck. "That I can agree with. Now, back to bed, I wasn't done with you yet," he winked.

Harry hesitated. "It's a bit awkward with Hermione here, no?" he asked, this whole thing still new to him.

Draco snickered and led him back to the master bedroom. "Trust me, Granger and I have so much dirt on each other, we don't really care anymore. And she will tease you over breakfast either way, once she's in full form again," he grinned, still glad for the silencing charms snapping into place once he closed the door.


	6. Chapter 5

**AN: Dear readers and followers,**

 **I wish you all a year filled with good health, fortune, love, and may your dreams come true. May 2017 be better than the last year so filled with hate and unrest, and I hope you will continue to enjoy my writing in this year as you did in the last. Thank you so much for your support!**

 **Always,**

 **Sybilla**

* * *

Hermione woke up slowly, feeling a bit lethargic as she reached for the glass on the bedside table. The cool water refreshed her greatly and helped clear her mind. Their suspicions were confirmed and this case with Reznikov was turning into a nightmare. Not only was he a magical being that could make her mission even more dangerous, she was putting everyone who was working on it and her close friends in danger. The intel was beyond welcome, but it was also the news she had been dreading for weeks.

She got to her feet slowly and slipped on her flat shoes before making her way into the en suit bathroom and then to the kitchen. Strong coffee was already brewing, something she loved about Draco's morning habits, surprisingly in a muggle moka that was a Christmas gift from herself last year.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty," Draco drawled from his place where he was leaning against the kitchen counter in all his glorious bathrobed form.

"Morning, sweetie pie," she drawled back with a sardonic smile and took the already steaming cup from his hand cheekily, knowing they both drank coffee simple and black as was anyway.

"Hey, that's mine! Give it back, don't make me hex you, Granger," he grumbled at her, but she disarmed him with a beaming smile after her first sip of the lifesaving liquid. He sighed and flipped her off. "Fine, keep it. Bloody Gryffindors and their cheeky habits.."

"What was that?" Harry came in, towel still in hand as he dried off his hair.

Draco grinned at the sight of his rosy cheeks and pleased expression, their morning shower certainly putting him into a good mood. Then he remembered Granger stole his coffee and snarled a little. "The lioness has my coffee,"

"And the snake is a grumpy puss this morning. Really Harry, I would have thought you put him in a better mood," Hermione flipped back from her seat at the table nonchalantly.

"Children!" Harry snickered, enjoying this teasing camaraderie between the two. They were like siblings, it was highly entertaining.

"She started it," Draco crossed his arms petulantly, only making Harry's smile widen as he raised a single brow at him teasingly.

Hermione saw the hormonal fireworks and downed the rest of the coffee before gathering her corset for a quick exit. "Right you guys, I'm off. I would rather not see what is about to happen," she waved and dashed for the floo, narrowly avoiding a stinging hex.

Her chuckle was however not long lived. When she landed in her flat a few seconds later, she instantly knew that something was wrong. The place was still. Very still. Not a particle of dust in natural movement, not a soul to see, and yet she sensed them. Not them, him. Someone was here. Why were her wards not tingling? Why did she not feel the entry?

Her wand at the ready, she stepped through into the living room but it was of no use. Her occlumency shields were violated and her mind was invaded forcibly, the piercing pain eliciting a blood-curdling scream of agony as she dropped to her knees and clutched at her hair. Her body could no longer handle such violent pain and she succumbed to darkness, pain and panic squeezing her chest tight...

...

Her temples were pulsing with a dull ache, her mind sluggish as she became aware of herself again. She had no recollection of what happened last, other than the memory of the unbearable pain, and she couldn't tell what time it was. She was however lying on a soft bed with sheets of smooth, cool silk. She was nude, her wand a two feet away, probably on a bedside table as she sensed. She tried to let her senses take in what she could without actually moving.

It wasn't cold but there was a slight chill in the air.

Fire crackled nearby, the heat radiating onto her back, so she was facing away from it. She could also smell tar, so the room had torches for more light. That probably meant no electricity. That meant a wizarding abode.

Stone. She could smell stone and age. An old building then, maybe a dungeon? No, too warm, and she was on a bed. A room, or a chamber, she couldn't be too sure.

"I know you have awakened," the crystal clear but accented voice rang across the room towards here.

Larger than she thought. A chamber then. She opened her eyes and sat up, looking towards the source of the voice. The room practically oozed old money. She was definitely in a chamber or old stone, decorated lavishly with furs and rugs, a large fourposter bed, and an ornate throne-like armchair.

And there he sat. Alexander 'Sasha' Reznikov.

"Welcome to Hajciuniški," he greeted with a pleased smile, his eyes roaming her nude form.

Hermione got up from the bed and stretched her sore body, as if she was the only one in the room and without any shame of her nude body. There was no time for shame, she needed to check her body was in good form for a fight if need be. But there was no pain other than the stiffness of unconsciousness. "I presume we are still in Belarus," she raised a brow, not quite a question but the slight lilt in her voice indicated she was wondering without actually knowing for certain.

"I see your contact in Brussels informed you well. He was rather delicious," the man stood from his chair and walked towards her with measured but elegant steps.

He was the epitome of otherworldly beauty. Elegant jaw, high cheekbones set in a young but mature face, piercing eyes the colour of brilliant aquamarine contrasted sharply with his near-raven shoulder-length hair. He was perhaps Draco's height at about 6' 1'' and dressed, of course, dramatically in black from head to toe. To most, he would be attractive but unsettling. To Hermione, he screamed predator, and her body failed to respond to his unnatural charm. Her tired mind was working on a higher dose of adrenaline, looking around and taking the room in while she tried to keep up the charade and her voice steady. One window, one door, magically locked, no other way out. She was naked, wandless but with inner magic, and yet still without an option other than staying put and seeing how things developed. She took a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders, trying to appear naturally calm despite her senses being on high alert.

"He was a good man, but what does that matter to you when he was no more than cattle for sating your appetite," Hermione spoke frankly and walked around the bed towards the fire, making sure her back was never fully to the man. She would not make a rookie mistake like that. "Kidnapping me though? Not classy," she shrugged a nude shoulder and ran a hand through her wild curls as her body soaked up the heat of the flames. Her hair caught slightly on her ring and she hid her smile. Bingo, Strychnos nux-vomica commonly known as strychnine was maybe going to be her saving grace.

"You, Hermiona," he pronounced her name with the slavic accent, "have given me much trouble. But you are mine now, and I will do with you as I want," he said firmly as he crossed the remaining space between them and gripped her shoulders.

"You can try to torture me, but I will not give you any information. You can try to make me your slave, or human blood bag, but you will not break me. And if you kill me, my people will retaliate and shut down this business of yours violently," she said simply but there was a fire in her eyes that spoke of her inner strength. She was not going to go down easily if he tried. She just needed a bit of time and an opportunity to poison the man.

The vampire's eyes glowed as their gaze connected and he sensed the old magic running in her veins. Sweet, powerful, precious. "I will do none of those things. I will make you my companion and claim you for eternity," he growled as his eyes webbed with vermillion and his canines extended into sharp points, her reflexes and all training failing her as his iron grip left her helpless to her fate.

For the second time that evening, Hermione's agonised scream filled the air.


	7. Chapter 6

Agony. That was the singlular emotion overcoming every logical thought or other senses. Agony was what she felt, as what she could only describe as liquid nitrogen traveling at a slow pace down every little vein and nerve ending through her body and paralysing her muscles until they were taunt and clenched painfully.

Every breath hurt.

Every second felt like an eternity.

Every last thought of hope fled her mind.

Agony.

Timeless agony was her only companion.

* * *

Draco rubbed his exhausted face and flooed into her apartment one more time. The one agreement they made was free access; she could come and go to his home, and Draco could enter hers anytime the wards tingled of something sinister.

They were having such a pleasant morning and just as he was taking a sip of his coffee, he felt the breath rip from him at the violent magic that tingled through Hermione's wards. He knew she was taken before he even arrived at the scene, Harry at his heel and looking around bewildered. There was nothing indicating any disturbance. The flat was clean and neat as always, the temperature pleasant, a used but empty teacup from yesterday still by the old tome on the coffee table. The only sign on struggle was a piece of Hermione's vine wood wand, a piece of dragon heart string all damaged and split peaking out of the chipped wood.

Before they had a chance to ward the place off as a crime scene and look for a match in the dark magical signature, the floo flared again and two redheads jumped out, wands at the ready and curses at the tip of their tongues.

"Fred! George! What are you doing here?" Harry asked, completely astonished.

"Something felt horribly wrong. Where's Hermione and why are you in her flat?" Fred asked, his wand not lowering.

"She was kidnapped. Can you smell the dark magic?" Draco raised a brow, pointing all around them.

The magical signature left behind was thick and dark like molasses, and smelled like bonfire night with a hint of cloying sweetness. It was unlike anything the twins or Harry had encountered. Due to his past, Draco had smelled this once in his youth.

"It's the smell of a willingly turned vampire that has little left of their humanity. He has practically no soul, hence the burnt smell. It's almost like exorcism, you are left with little humanity if you give into the dark side of vampirism," he explained.

"Who did this?" Harry asked while the twins looked around to check for anything else.

Draco sighed, he hated to do this but it was unfortunately not for him to share the information. "That is classified. None of you have the authorisation to know about Hermione's work, or mine, or who did this," he explained, standing firm despite Harry's clear frustration and the twins' fury.

"All we know is that she works at the Ministry, for some division in the Department of Mysteries. But kidnapping? Why was she kidnapped? Who would want her any harm? We want answers, Malfoy," Fred positively growled.

"And I can't give them to you. Again, you are not supposed to know any of this," Draco stood his ground and tried to keep the situation calm.

Fred looked like he was going to hex him on the spot, but George gripped his shoulder tightly and shook his head silently before looking at Harry. "You are taking us to the Ministry. We have some questions, as concerned citizens, for the current Minister of Magic," he stated clearly and calmly, but his eyes spoke another story altogether.

Fred looked at his twin and knew that the fury and worry he felt was not just his, but his twin's as well. They couldn't imagine their world without Hermione and maybe it was time to get some answers.

"What about your daughter?" Draco asked, remembering one of them with a child around Diagon Alley.

"She's safe with her auntie, we have another hour before we need to pick her up. So you better take us to the Ministry quickly," George stood his ground and left them with no choice.

* * *

Hermione opened her eyes suddenly and tried to take a deep breath but her lungs only accepted so much oxygen in them, making her cough a little. She sat up and instinctively took in all of her surroundings, her mind processing the details much faster, making her realise just how enhanced her senses were. She could smell the aged stone and the fresh plaster and paint of the structure around them, the gentle smell of fabric conditioner on the simple cotton sheet beneath her. Her skin itched to be washed, covered in sweat of the change, and a bit of waste from when her body died and muscles loosened. She found a bathtub filled with water and some lavender soap, so quickly but throughly washed herself before grabbing the soiled sheets and throwing them into the flames to burn away her human stench.

A beautiful burgundy velvet dress was awaiting her and she slipped it over her nude form, taking a moment to feel the changes in her body while her mind tried to cope with the knowledge that she was now undead.

Her skin felt neither warm, nor cold, the same temperature as the room, but the little hairs on the surface were feeling the material encasing her body differently. It wasn't uncomfortable, there was just a new level of awareness of the fabric she before wore easily.

Her sense of smell was overwhelming at first, but she quickly managed to find the balance when her hearing began picking up sounds from within the building and outside it. Movement, light steps and heavy steps alike. Loud conversation, quietly spoken words, laughter…..and cars, she could hear the cars outside. So they were close to a road. Good. She focused and tried to recognise voices and pick up specific words.

"She's awake, bring her to me," she picked up the clear voice and heavy accent immediately.

Her maker.

Her lip pulled back over her teeth in a quiet snarl. While they learned that some vampires when changed willingly felt a strong connection and longing for their maker, she felt nothing for the man that ripped into her soul so viciously.

Her soul… She wondered whether she had any left, but a single through of the twins and little Roxy affirmed that she did. She had to have a soul if she still felt the love and worry for them that she felt before. Her humanity wasn't gone then. At least not yet. She needed to bide her time, grow into her reflexes and learn the place to be able to escape. If only she could at least send the boys some sort of a message…

There was no time to contemplate it any further as the door to her chamber opened and a tall redheaded man stepped in. He motioned for her to proceed him silently, and she went without a question, knowing who she was being led to.

After turning right at the bottom of the stairs, they reached a large sitting room with beautiful antique armchairs and a drinks cabinet. She stepped in, still barefooted, and her toes dug into the soft turkish rug beneath her feet, momentarily distracting her focus before she was looking at the monster that made her. He looked different. She could see his dark aura, sensed and smelled his magic differently, and she could smell the blood mixed in with the red wine in his hand. She took a deep whiff and felt her body responding. Her tummy clenched in hunger and desire all at once, her vision changed as her eyes narrowed and her whiskey irises turned a brilliant vermillion, and her gums itches as he razor sharp canines slid out, ready to hunt and kill.

"You truly are magnificent," he complimented as he stood from his throne to pour her some of the blood-wine. He held out a crystal tumbler to her, easy to drain quickly if you were hungry.

She took it with a steady hand despite the pressing need to feed, and took a cautious sip. The taste was unlike anything she could coherently describe. Food was delicious, and as human she loved to explore different cuisines. But none of her favourite foods compared to this. The blood in the drink was like soothing honey to an aching throat…or a cool sorbet on a hot day…..a hot tea after hours spent in freezing weather…It was soothing and invigorating at once, and the wine only enhanced the taste. No wonder the vampires didn't care about the cliches when drinking the blood mixed in with the wine was so delicious.

She physically forced herself to take slow sips as she walked around the room and took stock.

Two windows with ornate metal bars across them. She could break and bend but she was by no means fast enough to do it without intervention or injury.

One door, two men standing guard. She wouldn't be fast enough to get there either without Sasha grabbing her.

Poison. She still had her ring, and the poisonous powder was colourless and odourless so he would never detect it. All she could do was patiently bide her time and wait for an opportunity.

"So just to check, cause I've seen different vampire versions on muggle telly, does it matter what blood type a person is? Is one tastier than the other?" she asked cheekily as her lips formed into a falsely innocent smile.

Sasha only raised an amused brow, her coquettish manners clearly pleasing and her feisty nature amusing him. "Everyone has a preference. I prefer them B or O negative, less fatty," he replied candidly, watching her for any sign of shock that usually manifested with freshly turned.

She shrugged. "Well I guess it makes dinner varied somehow if you drink the regular grog as often as your favourite," she mused just as candidly, unwilling to flinch. "Now, will I be forced to stand all night or can we sit down?" she motioned at the game of chess set up in the corner.

Sasha observed her for a moment before pulling the chair out for her indulgently.

It was going to be a long night….

* * *

George was still reeling from the information they received from Kings, and tried to imagine the person they heard about with the person he knew as Hermione. Roxy wiggled in his arms, burying her wet face into his neck. "Shhh it's alright, baby girl. Hermione will be back soon, she misses you too," he tried to soothe as he walked around the living room, hoping the slight rocking movement would tire her out before she cried herself to sleep.

He hated to see her like this, so upset. Roxy was such a good child, rarely cried, always so happy, but when something hurt badly or she was in great distress, the tears were endless.

She rubbed the sleeve over her weeping nose and hiccuped a little. "But she promised! Mimi never breaks a promise," he hiccuped again as more crocodile tears rolled down her flushed cheeks.

"I know, and I'm sorry she had to this time. When you're a big girl, like Hermione, sometimes work must be more important than play time," he tried to explain as he walked around and rubbed her back soothingly.

"But she is not talking to me!" he wailed a little, now exhausted from crying and missing her Mimi.

"She doesn't have her phone, baby. She is away, working in another country and the signal is not good so she didn't take it," he tried, trying to stay calm to not fuel her distress.

Fred came in carrying hot cocoa just as she fell asleep exhausted on his shoulder. George gently settled her down in her bed and cast a gently sleeping charm on her to make sure she was rested. He settled down beside his twin and leaned his head against his shoulder as they sipped the soothing drink. "I still can't believe it…" he admitted.

"Which part? The one where she's a kick-ass spy? Cause that is the most believable part of the whole thing," Fred snorted. And it was true.

The moment Kingsley said it, he had no doubt that Hermione was just that. No one knew better than her closest friends just how lethal Hermione was, they've all seen her fight. The fact that she kept it completely hidden from them spoke of just how good she was at being a spy. They never even suspected it! It was like a whole other life that she was leading, and Fred was baffled just how little it interfered with their time together, or with Hermione's relationship with Roxy.

"I just….did you have any idea? I didn't," George frowned.

Fred shook his head and was about to say that there wasn't anything suspicious about her behaviour that would give it away, but then he remembered the past few weeks. "Actually….she cancelled a few times on us in the past month….and always wanted to be indoors….and she was a bit distant….do you think she rarely took Roxy to her apartment because she worried about a kidnapping like this?" he asked softly, everything clicking into place now that he put two and two together.

"I think so…" George sighed. "A part of me is furious with her…she must have a lot of enemies and they must know about us, and Roxy. She is putting us all in danger," she frowned, not sure how to process that part.

"Yes, but only minimally. She's protective, always vigilant, and she would rather die that let anything happen to Roxy," Fred reminded.

"Another part of me is terrified for her. She might not come back from this one, and if she does, what state will she be in? How do we explain this to Roxy? How can we take care of her without Roxy knowing something is wrong?" he worried, his daughter always number one on his list.

Fred shook his head. "You can't. Roxy already knows something is wrong, you underestimate her ability to observe. She learned that from Hermione," he wrapped an arm around his shoulder and squeezed him tighter.

"The last part of me is worried senseless for her," he admitted, turning his head to look at his twin.

"So am I," Fred agreed, before falling silent as the rest didn't need to be voiced.

They both loved her, and somehow just like each other they were able to sense when something was wrong with her. But they didn't just love her, nay, they were both in love with her. And Roxy couldn't imagine ever being without her Mimi. She was a part of their lives and they wouldn't accept it any other way. There was no sense of rivalry, no tension, just a silent agreement that it was time they addressed their feelings for her.

But first, she needed to return to them….


	8. Chapter 7

It has been ten days. _Ten long, tiring days,_ she thought as she took off the luxurious chiffon dress and changed back into the provided leggings and long sleeve top before deciding to stretch her body a bit.

She jumped down from the sturdy iron chandelier and flipped over midair to test her flexibility. Her landing was near featherlight and crouched, poised for a strike in seconds. She had been lethal before but this new body of hers was the body of a predator. Her footsteps were without a sound, her senses were open and fast. So far she discovered that she couldn't fly but she can jump pretty high, even all the way up to the ceiling which she touched with her palm before gravity forced her back down. She also discovered that she wasn't tired. She only needed a couple of hours for a nap, whatever time of the day, and she was fine. If she felt restless, she didn't sleep at all but her body didn't suffer for it too much.

Bright sunny days irritated her eyes a little but not too badly, and her skin was just fine. She expected maybe an itch or something, but apparently they've evolved enough to adapt to the sun. That was an interesting thought, maybe she could write an accurate book about vampires for a change, instead of all the 'dark creatures, must kill' crap.

A rat slipped into her room earlier that day and she used it to satisfy her urge to hunt, observing and tackling it before letting it go and doing it again. And again. And again. The creature was petrified at the end of it so she sighed and let it go out the window so it could find a better place to stay. Her mind was sharp and utterly bored, tired of plotting and waiting for the right moment, but she forced herself to be patient.

They kept her away from their operations as much as they could. The room where they gathered was the most furthest from her room and their words were hard to make out, much more muffled and hard to focus on with all the other sounds such as traffic and the humans that were guarding them. And each evening she was brought a new dress to add to her growing collection and joined her maker for their version of a dinner and chat, sometimes chess. She sensed it won't be long now though. She felt his desire for her, his want. She would be invited to his chambers one evening, and that's when she would have a golden opportunity to slip him the poison. Her nose wrinkled in distaste at the thought of not being able to avoid having sex with the cretin, to make him relax his guard a little, but she would do what she had to do in order to get out of this place and back home.

She sighed and after hanging the dress up in the provided wardrobe picked up one of the English paperbacks the man had foresight to give her in order to keep her somehow occupied. But her mind kept returning to the four people in her life that she wishes she could see again. Draco, who was surely searching for her along with the whole team, Fred, who was probably keeping them all going, George, who was either pissed at her or worrying himself silly, and her little Roxy, whose heart she must have broken when she didn't fulfil her promise to spend another night. Her immortal heart clenched at the thought of the little girl, crying because of her.

If only there was some way to speak to them. She tried sending a physical message but her magical was still very volatile without her wand and with her body magic changing. She kept practicing but it was difficult to not overdo the strength of certain spells. It would be at least another three days before she managed to find her magical balance with enough time to train. There was also astral projection, which apparently was the natural gift of some vampires as she once read, but after endless failed tries, she concluded it was definitely not hers. She could just hear Draco's teasing comments _'You? The brightest witch of her age actually not good at something? My my, how the mighty have fallen'._ She huffed at the perfect imitation of his snide voice in her head and rolled her eyes. This was getting her nowhere.

Her latest attempts have been to dream travel. Reznikov has done it to her, and she knew she could do it to others, but the instructions were vague to the point of nonexistent, as it was something the vampire community kept close to their chests. she couldn't recall one tome that mentioned any details, and she could recall 23 different tomes she had read on the topic of vampirism during Hogwarts. There must be a way. Maybe she was trying the wrong person. Draco would have been the most useful to speak to, but there was something stopping her from approaching his mind. She wouldn't be surprised if he took potions to stop his nightmares, making it all the more difficult for her to break in. Maybe she should start with the easiest, Roxy.

She got comfortable in the bed and checked the time to make sure her calculations were right. It was nearing 7 in the morning, so it would be about 4 am in Britain. Roxy didn't get up until five or six usually so she would still be hopefully sleeping. With a last check around her, she heard nothing that would disturb her and curled up comfortably, trying this again. She cleared her mind one thought at a time until all she could think about was Roxy. She visualised her beautiful little face with happy, chubby cheeks, caramel skin, her bright green eyes and bouncy tight curls. It was when she focused on those eyes that she felt herself traveling forward in her mind.

 _She found herself inside a dream. They were in a meadow, in the Forest, and she could see herself and Roxy as they walked around and she taught her about the different muggle and magical herbs. Hermione waited a moment, knowing her presence would be noticed the moment she stepped forward. There was something serene and simple about the dreams of an eight year old and she hated to burst the bubble but there was no telling how long she would maintain the connection._

 _Taking careful steps she came closer to dream Roxy and watched her dream self dissipate as Roxy focused on her and the team became lucid instead of natural._

 _"_ _Mimi?" she asked, her voice soft and bit broken as he bottom lip shook with suppressed tears._

 _Hermione knelt down and pulled her close into her embrace, feeling the little arms come around her tightly. "I came to visit as soon as I could," she sighed before pulling away a little to look at Roxy._

 _"_ _I know I am sleeping, but how can you be here when I'm sleeping?" she asked confused._

 _Hermione caressed her cheek gently. "Because I learned how to speak in dreams," she explained, knowing she was smart enough to relay that to Fred and George as well._

 _"_ _When will you come back? I miss you," Roxy liked like she was going to cry again and Hermione pulled her close to soothe her._

 _"_ _Soon, a few days hopefully. I'm sorry I had to leave so suddenly. I miss you very much, and promise to take you for a hot chocolate when I come home," she smooched her cheek until Roxy giggled at the tickles._

 _"_ _Okay, but daddy is sad and sometimes angry, and uncle Freddie is always with the blond man whispering about something. Will you take them out for a hot chocolate too?" she asked hopefully._

 _Hermione sighed internally, understanding that George was unhappy with her and Fred was as always keeping things together and badgering Draco for information. Good, there was a chance they were working with the blond and that meant they would all get the message. "I promise to do so if they want to come with us. Now, I need you to listen carefully, and when you wake up tell daddy, uncle Freddie and the blond man that I came to you while you slept and that I have a message for them. Will you tell them the message?" she asked._

 _Roxy nodded her head seriously, sensing this was important. "What is the message, Mimi?"_

 _"_ _I am in Belarus. Sasha holds me with his coven. I will dispatch him and return in a few days. Don't follow," she said everything clearly. "Do you remember all of that?" she asked gently._

 _Roxy nodded. "You are in Belarus, Sasha has you in his cave, you will…dispash him and return in a few days. Don't follow," she repeated proudly._

 _Hermione nodded. Good enough, that will do. Draco will know what that means. "That's my clever girl. Tell in to them as soon as you wake up so you don't forget it. And remember, I will always love you," she kissed her forehead._

 _"_ _Don't go!" Roxy hugged her tightly, unwilling to let her go just yet._

 _Hermione rubbed her back gently and looked into her eyes. "I will be back soon. Wake up now, it is morning…."_

She pushed with her mind and found herself back in the chamber, alone again and with the knowledge that Roxy was awake.

…

His tea cup hit the ground as George turned around in haste, complete disbelief in his face as he listened to his daughter talk over her cereal. "What do you mean she came to you in a dream?" he asked, wondering what the hell that meant.

Draco grinned over his coffee and looked at the little girl across the table from him. Smart girl, and smart Granger. "She was in a dream but it didn't feel like a dream? Did you know you were asleep and will be waking up soon?" he asked, describing something the girl probably didn't have a capacity to.

She nodded, her smile bright once again at the knowledge that her Mimi will be back soon. "She says she has a message for you, and daddy, and uncle Freddie,"

"And do you remember this message?" Draco coaxed, hoping it would be somewhat coherent.

Roxy nodded vigorously. "Mimi said she's in Belarus, Sasha has her in his cave, she will dispash him and return in a few days. Don't follow," she repeated proudly.

Draco worked through the message and leaned back in his chair heavily. Good, that meant Hermione had her wits about her and a means to kill the bastard. Cave though? Creepy much? And Belarus of all places? This will be a diplomatic hazard, but he'll leave that up to Kingsley to resolve. He just prayed that Hermione was alright, thought the traveling in dreams worried him. That was something very few wizards and witches could do, but something vampires were practiced in. If she was turned, her life would be forever affected by it and she would watch them all die some die in her immortality. He shuddered at the idea of such an existence but decided not to dwell on it. They will have to simply wait and see what happened to her.

"Hey! Where are you off to? What does that even mean?" George questioned him when Draco got up.

"And why is she in Belarus?" Fred added, crossing his arms over his chest.

Draco sighed tiredly. These two were formidable for sure, but gave him a bit of a headache. "Ministry. It means we wait for her to come home. And Belarus is where her mission was," he answered one question after the other and slipped past, heading for the floo. "Later!" he called over his shoulder and was gone.


	9. Chapter 8

**AN: Dearest readers and followers,**

 **My apologies for the late update of this chapter, I have been stricken down by the flu bug and unable to life. Hope you are all still enjoying this story, and expect a new chapter on Sunday as usual!**

 **Aways,**

 **Sybilla**

* * *

 **20th December 2006**

"God damnit Padma, don't tell me those bloodsuckers don't have humans with their bloody phones and computers and other crap around for you to trace," Draco positively growled despite her unimpressed expression.

They were on Day 12 of Mission Find Hermione, and they were making zero progress. The place she was held was either cloaked, or enchanted, or something, because Draco was ready to apparate there and find her himself.

Belarus, check.

Caves, check.

Miles of mountains and not enough people to check them, also fucking check.

It didn't help any that Ginger One and Ginger Two were breathing down his neck, along with Kingsley, the rest of the team who were looking for her furiously, as well as a feisty little girl that was actually growing on him. Damn Gryffindors, he was surrounded by them these days….

"Hey Draco, can I grab you for a sec?" Bill appeared out of nowhere by his elbow, looking all sombre.

"You have two minutes," Draco leaned back against his desk while Bill closed the door on his office. It appeared he was going to get slack from Ginger number Three. Fan-fucking-tastic.

"You mentioned dream-walking. She was turned, wasn't she?" he asked without permeable, always right to the point.

Draco considered him for a moment and shrugged. "I can't tell whether that is her own ability, or one she gained upon turning," he answered honestly for once. When Granger was concerned, there really was no telling what she was capable of. "But I suspect Reznikov will not let this opportunity pass him by, I think he wants her," he added.

"Have you told Kings?" Bill asked, crossing his arms over his chest, a deep frown marring his forehead.

Draco shook his head. "There is nothing to tell him just yet. I'm not going to provide him with unverified information, that is not part of my job," he said firmly.

Bill was about to respond but he was silenced by a deep blue memo, one that was urgent and only sent by the very man they were discussing. _MY OFFICE. NOW. BOTH OF YOU._

They shared a quick look before using the special floo connection between their department and the office of the Minister, only to stumble upon quite a sight.

Hermione Granger was standing in the middle of Kingsley Shacklebolt's office, the ivory long sleeve dress thin and leaving little to imagination, not to mention the blood covering it was making a right mess of it.

She offered a half smile but took a step back just as Draco took a step towards her. "If you are planning to hug me, I wouldn't. I haven't hugged a human yet," she admitted honestly.

The change was subtle to most but to them it was immediately noticeable. Her skin was clear and a couple of shades paler than usual, making the dotting of freckles on her nose stand out a bit more. Her voluminous curls were thick and glossy and untamed as ever but the reddish undertones were much more pronounced. And where her whiskey eyes used to glisten with intelligence, they were now sharp with knowledge beyond their understanding, and something deep, a little predatory.

Bill took out his wand and watched her eyes capture his every single movement. "Magic still a bit haywire?" he asked.

Hermione nodded and stood still, showing him she would accept his magic. He cast a gentle cleaning charm and both her skin and dress were now clean, making her appear less intimidating. "Thank you," she nodded and looked at Kingsley. "May I take a seat?" she asked, well aware that Kingsley was a little bit stunned.

Kingsley came to himself when she addressed him and motioned at the comfortable armchair. "Of course, please. Can we get you anything? Are you hurt in any way?" he asked, his concern evident as much as his relief to have her back.

Hermione shook her head. "I'm well, thank you. A cup of tea would be nice though?" she suggested and smiled thankfully when Kings called in his secretary for the order.

Draco walked over with measured steps and took the armchair beside her, watching her reaction just as much as she watched him. She seemed to be amused about something.

"What's funny?" Draco asked, still a bit dazed and just taking his best friend in.

"You smell exotic but I don't want to taste you," she said plainly, snickering when he nearly choked on his own breath.

"That is probably the last thing I ever expected to hear from your mouth," he managed.

Hermione shrugged. "I bet you never expected me to be a vampire either," she said, addressing the elephant in the room. "I'm still getting used to it but I'm mostly aware of my abilities and needs. I pose no threat to any of you at present time," she promised and watched everyone relax a little.

"Mind if I do a check up? Just want to make sure your magic is handling the physical changes," Bill offered.

Hermione nodded and crossed her legs elegantly, waiting patiently for him to do the scan. Bill muttered words in one of the older languages he spoke, not a traditional latin incantation that they were used to. The magic was however warm and tickled a little, making her smile as it traveled through her body and enveloped her steadily pulsing magical core.

Bill looked surprised for a moment before he realised who he was doing the reading on and smiled. "Well, you may give Ollivander a run for his money trying to get a new wand. Your core can sustain in itself, and you will probably be using a bit more blood-bound and blood-born magic, but you may yet accept a new wand," he confirmed.

"Mine was broken in the struggle, was it not?" she asked Draco, knowing he would have been in her flat.

Draco nodded and reached into his pocket, showing her the small piece he was able to salvage. "That's all we've got," he offered it to her.

She however shook her head, her old wand now holding no appeal to her. "It's fine, I'll just have to see Olivander. Before that though, I guess you're all wondering about what happened."

The tea arrived and they all settled down for her report. Leaving out no detail about the location, conditions she was kept in and the plans she overheard, she explained everything that occurred for the past 12 days.

"How did you escape, and whose was the blood?" Bill asked, covering the two things she yet hasn't answered.

"I killed Reznikov, and the blood on my dress was his," she confirmed what they already suspected.

"How?" Draco asked, curious to know how the events unraveled.

"Well…" Hermione began, thinking back at last night.

 _The night she was waiting for finally arrived and with it a gown that hid very little, a fitting choice for what Reznikov was planning for them. She took a leisurely bath to keep him waiting in anticipation, applied a light perfume to entice, and pulled on the beautiful dress. She would never have chosen it herself, but seeing it hugging her curves made her feel powerful and she wasn't sure where that feeling came from; confidence or her vampire nature. She applied the rouge to her lips, knowing it would help mark her glass out and keep the poisoned one away from herself._

 _He was waiting for her when she came in and she could now recognise the slight flutter of his nostrils as he breathed her in and his irises widened slightly, taking her in._

 _"_ _You look splendid," he offered and picked up her hand, kissing her knuckles gallantly. If she didn't know him and his motives, she might even have suspected he was a gentleman. Thankfully she knew better._

 _While still remaining 'out of bounds', her attitude was playful over the past few days, showing him that she was getting used to his presence and further sparking his interest. "You picked the dress," she replied playfully and allowed herself to be led into the room._

 _The layout has been changed slightly and there was no chess in sight, only a new chaise lounge that has been brought in to sit in front of the fire._

 _"And you wear it with grace._ _Would you care to join me?" he motioned at the seat._

 _Hermione offered a small playful smile and nodded. "The fire is rather small though. I'll get the wine while you..stroke the flames a bit more?" she suggested, the words rolling off her tongue and hitting her mark head on, judging by the flex of his fingers against hers._

 _"Don't take long," he said before heading for the flame._

 _Hermione walked over to the table with the glasses and the two carafes, one of blood and the other of wine. She poured the wine first and while one of her hands set the wine down, the other gently tipped over Reznikov's glass and nearly all of the soft powder left her ring and fell into his glass. She closed the jewelled cap on the ring with a simple hand gesture and picked up the wine carafe, pouring the blood in and watching the poison mix in nicely into the liquid. Perfect. She took a small sip from her own glass and carried them over, hers already marked out._

 _Reznikov raised a brow. "Impatient, my dear?" he teased._

 _Hermione put on a demure look. "I am a little peckish," she admitted and let herself be pulled into his lap as they raised their glasses in a toast. "To a new beginning?" she suggested._

 _"_ _That is suitable," he agreed and they clinked their glasses before drinking them down._

 _Once the empty glasses were set down, Hermione kicked off her heels and pressed Reznikov down into the cushion, turning to straddle his waist, the dress now hiked up dangerously high upon her thigh. She knew the poison would work much faster than on a human due to the way vampire heart pumped the blood around the system, so he wanted him distracted until it was too late. The feeling of his arousal against her inner thigh was sickening but she managed to keep her facade._

 _"_ _Now, shall we?" she asked coquettishly, seeing the whites of his eyes turning yellow. It was working fast._

 _He was about to respond but began coughing instead, a trail of blood leaking from his mouth. He looked down and realised what was happening, his gaze turned hateful and reached for her throat. She tried to stop him but he was strong, and they ended up rolling on the floor, trying to overpower one another. For a moment it looked like he was going to break her neck but he suddenly convulsed atop her and all the blood came up as he spewed it all over her chest and dress._

 _She finally managed to roll away and watched in fascination as the blood turned black and he began falling apart, his undead body falling into pieces and turning to ashes…._

"What happened next, how did you get out of there?" Bill asked calmly but internally was absolutely fascinated by this side of Hermione.

"His guard heard our scuffle and came in. Then several of the other vampires of his clan came in and saw Reznikov was dead. According to our rules, what you kill, you claim. They pledged allegiance to me, the whole coven," Hermione replied with an amused smile.

"So, you are now in control of a whole coven," Kingsley repeated, just to make sure he understood well.

"Yes. They will all travel tomorrow to London and will willingly begin cooperating with the Ministry. There is one I want to introduce to you, Monsieur Guillaume Babylas. He was the oldest, turned in the 1700s and was only a part of the coven because he was planning to tear Reznikov down. He's part of a French version of out Unit 25," she explained.

"Then he will be most welcome," Kingsley nodded. "Now, with regards to your…status, do you wish to remain a part of Unit 25 or will you be re-evaluating your position?" he asked, now back in full Prime Minister mode.

Hermione set down her cup of tea and stood. "I would like to take two weeks to rest and consider my next steps, if that is acceptable with you," she asked, her question one of deeper meaning for the man she called her friend.

Kingsley clearly understood her message and nodded. "You are welcome to rest and then return at your convenience," he replied before dismissing them all.

Draco steered Hermione into the floo and once down in their department quickly into his office. She smiled fondly at his antics, relieved to see him as well. They stood looking at each other for a moment once the door was closed, before Hermione stepped closer and hugged him lightly, knowing her strength was elevated. Draco wrapped his arms around her tightly and held her close, relishing having his friend back. She felt still the same, warm and comforting and soft. If he closed his eyes he wouldn't even know his best friend has changed.

"I'm glad you're back," he admitted as they pulled back to look at each other.

"It's good to be home," she offered a smile before sighing. "I have a favour to ask of you."

"Name it," Draco said simply, praying to all gods she wasn't leaving their lives.

Hermione smiled at the lack of hesitation. "I need to meet with Fred. No George, no Roxy, just Fred. And I need to do it in your apartment."

Draco raised a perplexed brow. "Why in my apartment?" he asked curiously.

"Because I know your scent and your blood holds no appeal. I don't know how I'll react to Fred and I know you can stop me if I need to be stopped," she admitted, having a feeling she would need the support.

Draco considered her for a moment before nodding. "Come, we'll use my floo," he directed her to the fireplace and they were gone with a flicker of green flames.


	10. Chapter 9

Draco flood over to Diagon Alley and headed for the twins' shop. It was bustling with people as always, and he noticed two new shop assistants. There were no Weasleys in sight until he got to the register and showed his ministry badge, slipping into the back offices. He stumbled upon one of them and squinted to try to check which one it was.

"Fred?" he asked, pretty sure he was speaking to Ginger One.

"Yup, what do you want Malfoy?" he asked, arms crossed over his chest. "Did you find her?" he added, taking every opportunity to hassle the blond into action.

Draco stumped down his irritation and nodded. "I need you to come with me."

Fred looked stunned for a moment before realising that they finally found her. "Are we going to rescue her? Where is she? Let me get George," he whizzed through the words, speed talking as he tended to do when nervous or excited.

"No," Draco stopped him in his tracks. "She's here, in London, and she's fine, but she asked to only see you."

"Why?" Fred asked immediately, the request most odd. Hermione cared about all three of them, so why would she be only asking for him? Unless…there was something wrong and he would be able to handle it before they let George and Roxy know.

With the realisation he dropped his protective magenta potions robe and wrote a quick note for George, before following Draco back to the Leaky Cauldron. He tried to tell himself everything would be alright but he braced himself for just about anything. Turns out it wasn't enough, as they stepped through the floo and he saw her for the first time in two weeks.

Hermione was pacing by the couch when the flames turned green. She exchanged a quick look with Draco who readied his wand just in case, just as Fred stepped through. He stopped right in front of the fireplace and just stared at her.

The human Hermione would probably feel a little shy about the dress. The twins may have seen her in a top without a bra, or in a bikini, but this dress hid even less than anything she wore before. But somehow she didn't feel an ounce of concern for her body as she stood before Fred. All she could do was force herself to stand still as his scent hit her.

Gunpowder.

Strawberries.

Something spicy….like Cedar wood.

And blood. She could practically feel the heat of his strong, fragrant blood, pumping steadily through his body with the steady beat of his healthy heart. Without any realisation, her pupils dilated and her irises turned from golden brown to vermillion when the desire to feed and mate hit her.

Mate.

She was standing before her mate.

"Draco…" she managed to force out through her teeth before a well-aimed spell made thick ropes wrap about her body and hold her in place.

Fred just watched in awe as she hissed and tried to find a way out of the ropes before settling down with a deep breath. Her eyes however never left him, flicking between his eyes and his neck hungrily. A part of him was resolved to the fact that she might return a vampire. Another part of him was fascinated by the woman before him. He had felt the pull towards her before, they both have with George. But what he felt now was making his heart race and magical core tingle. And if what his instincts were telling him was correct, he was to be her mate, her consort.

He took a step towards her but felt a hand grip his wrist. "I'm not sure you want to do that," Draco said cautiously.

Fred shook his head. "Let me," he said firmly, showing him he knew what he was doing.

He carefully walked towards Hermione and watched as she stopped testing the limit of the ropes and instead leaned towards him, her gaze fixed on his. "I'm so sorry.." she whispered.

Fred shook his head. "Don't be. It was meant to be," he offered a small smile and reached up, pushing a strand of wild curls away from her face.

She turned towards his touch and her nose skimmed over his wrist, nostrils flaring at the scent of his blood so close.

"Go ahead," he encouraged, guided by his instincts.

Hermione looked like she was trying to fight herself for a moment before her canines extended and she bit down on his wrist gently, groaning in delight at the first taste of his blood. Sweet like strawberries, the nectar of life trickled into her mouth from the opened wound and she sucked eagerly, licking the wound closed only after a few gulps. Fred panted softly, the moment her canines pierced his skin he felt the tendril of a connection grow strong and bright, their beings marked as mates.

Hermione felt much calmer and contented, her own magical core pulsing within her belly. "I'm safe now, Draco," she looked at him, the vermillion receding and her eyes returning to their usual golden brown.

Draco studied her a moment longer before releasing the ropes, and watched as Fred practically engulfed her in his arms. They were still, not moving, not speaking, just holding onto each other and breathing each other in.

"Will you be alright, Ginger?" he asked, wanting to make sure Hermione wouldn't regret him leaving them to their own devices.

"Right as rain, blondie," he nodded and steered Hermione towards the fireplace, landing them neatly in her apartment.

They had cleaned it up and made sure there was not a speck of dust in sight, and the fridge and cabinets were filled with food. Of course now that may be somewhat redundant.

Hermione stepped away from Fred and decided to give them some space while they discussed what needed to be said. "We should talk," she suggested, hoping he would agree.

Fred shrugged. "Nothing to talk about. You've been turned but you're still yourself. I am your mate, I presume George is as well, because we both feel a connection to you. I love you, and I will not be without you in my life. Did I leave anything out?" he asked matter of fact. There was none of his usual humour in his voice, and his gaze was serious.

Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and stood firm. "Plenty. How about the fact that I don't yet know how this change will affect me? How about George probably hates me and won't let me anywhere near Roxy? What about being my walking blood bag for the rest of your life? Are you really not concerned about any of this?" she asked, frustrated that he couldn't see the issues.

Fred sighed and sat down. "You've been gone for nearly two weeks. The moment we found out that you were abducted, and by a vampire, we knew there was a chance. And we were worried for you. Not worried about you turning, but worried for you," he emphasised, hoping to make her understand his point of view. "There were only three possible scenarios. One, you would be killed. I refused to accept that as a possibility," he said simply but she could hear the slight tremble in the words, knowing she wouldn't be able to imagine a world without the twins and Roxy either.

"Two, you would escape unscathed, in which case we would not let you out of our sight for at least a couple of days, and most definitely come clean about how we feel about you," he once again emphasised, making sure Hermione knew George had feelings for her as well.

"And the third was that you would be turned into a vampire. In which case you would either remain our friend if we were not your mates, and we would hopefully live long enough for Roxy to always have you in her life. Or the fates would decide that we are your mates and we could be closer than ever. There was no question about you retaining your humanity. None. I never doubted you for a moment," he finished in a whisper, the gravity of his words overwhelming for them.

Hermione sat down across from him and took his words in, seeing they were earnest and there was nothing but love in Fred's chocolate eyes. "Are you sure about this? Are you sure you wish to spend the rest of your life as my blood mate, or as my mate for eternity if I change you?" she asked, knowing it was not uncommon.

"I love you," he repeated, all the reply she could need.

She was across the table in the blink of an eye and straddling his loins, their lips meeting in need. "I wish we could…" the emotions swirling her powerful and wanting to read through. She loved the twins, both of them. Ever since they became close, she promised herself to love them but never step between them because of her feelings. Knowing that they were both her mates, two halves of one soul meeting with hers, meant so much to her.

"But we can't. Not without George," he groaned against her lips, leaning in for one final kiss before they separated cautiously.

"How do we do this?" Hermione asked, pacing into the kitchen to busy herself with tea, feeling Fred's presence as he leaned against the doorframe.

"Without Roxy, at first," he suggested. "Her semester at the prep school is finished for this year and she's making decorations for the Christmas tree at home. So why don't I go help her, and you have a word with George?" he suggested.

Hermione poured the milk in and put it away silently as she thought about it. "Alright. Go, I'll wait," she replied carefully and leaned into one final kiss before Fred turned around and left.

Hermione braced herself for the impact, for the first time she saw George. Twenty minutes later when he stepped through the floo, Hermione was unprepared for her reaction once again.

She felt nothing….


	11. Chapter 10

For a moment she hesitated. Was this not her mate? How could it possibly be? She was so certain… There was no urge to close the gap between them, there was no sudden urge to mate like there was with Fred. But then she took in George's scent and warmth spread through her being, enveloping her in a sensation she's never felt before.

Strawberries, just like Fred, but that's where the similarity ended.

War and sweet gingerbread.

And something else, something fresh like mint.

It was a scent that allowed her comfort and that made her take two steps closer knowing she wouldn't act out on her instincts. Yes, this was her mate. She should have known they would feel different. They were one soul but two beings after all.

George took a deep breath and couldn't help himself but gather her in his arms, wanting to feel her close as well as see her before him. Hermione took in his scent, forcing herself to stay calm, now that she felt his closeness and her instincts wanted to take over.

As suddenly as the embrace began, it ended with George pulling away and returning to his previous spot by the fireplace, taking in the changes in her, and his features shifted into a much more serious expression.

"George," she began, uncertain where she was going but wanting to make sure that he would not leave her flat that day without knowing how much she wanted for all of them to be one.

George however shook his head and stood where he was, not stepping away from her but not making any steps towards her again. He had been incredibly worried for her, and of course he loved her but there were some difficult questions to ask now that he knew she was alive and safe.

"I'm glad you're back, both for myself and for Roxy," he said, his voice as steady as it was going to be in this situation, "but at the same time I want to keep my distance, and I'm not used to feeling that way about you," he said honestly.

Hermione sat down on the arm of her couch, knowing that while she had Fred unconditionally, George would have to be hard-won. "I'm sorry. That's all I can say. I'm sorry that my work had an impact on you and Roxy. I was worried sick for all of you and thought about you every moment I could," she said earnestly, wanting him to know she never meant for her work and her private life to crossover, especially this way.

"How long have you been doing this work? A while, yes?" George asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Hermione nodded. "I have been working on developing this unit and have been there from its launch," she confirmed.

"So that means you've been doing this work all the while you were close to Freddie, and me, and Roxy. Did you ever think about what could happen if you make enemies and they find out about us, my family?" he asked, the anger that has been brewing within him coming to the surface.

Hermione knew this would be hard but she didn't expect the anger that radiated off the man before her, the man she loved but one that was also a parent. She knew this was about Roxy. "I know and I always made sure to never be spotted with you when I was working on a case. I've put as much thought into it as I could, and I tried my hardest to make sure you and Roxy never knew or were affected," she tried to explain where she was coming from, but it seemed to no avail.

"Well now we do, and knowing that Roxy could have been in danger….it feels like you broke my trust," he admitted softly, the anger now gone and what she saw in his eyes hurt even more. Betrayal and disappointment. "And now, I don't even know if I can trust you around her," he added in a whisper, the weight of those words making them both struggle.

"I would never hurt her. I would rather die a thousand horrible deaths than let anything happen to that little girl. You, Fred, and Roxy are my life. You must know that," Hermione's voice shook as she said the last words. This was torture. She had two mates and a beautiful little girl she loved beyond life, and yet she faced a chance that she may never be a part of the family she loves.

George was quiet for a moment before shaking his head. "I know you love us, and we love you. But it will take a while for me to trust you unconditionally as I have before."

The words were painful but Hermione nodded, accepting his feelings. "And Roxy? May I see her? Please…" she asked, missing the girl she brought up as her own.

George considered her for a moment before nodding. "You can come to dinner tonight. But know that I'm doing this for Roxy and for Fred, and I will be watching you," he said resolutely before disappearing once again in the green flames.

The air in her flat stilled and Hermione struggled to take a breath, feeling the anxiety blossoming in her chest. She tried to calm down, sliding down onto the firm cushion of her sofa and curling up to feel more comfortable. But there was no escaping it. Having two mates was not rare in the world of magical creatures. Having one of your mates love you while the other distrusted you was like being torn in two directions while getting punched in the heart. It was painful, it was suffocating, and all she could do was lay there curled up into a little ball for the better part of an hour before finally managing to pull together the barrage of emotions coursing through her.

The clock chimed midday and she managed to pull herself up to her feet. She walked around the flat she loved and found she suddenly did not feel as comforted by it as she used to. She loved the open space but it was too light. She loved every single book that she owned, but the mismatched bookshelves suddenly irritated her. She looked around her wardrobe and didn't feel like wearing some of the bright colours, and decided a lot of her clothes were quite modest. She was to live for an eternity, She needed to embrace change for she would forever remain unchanged and untouched by time. With that in mind, she wrote down a list of all the things she should do to embrace her immortality, and headed out to muggle London.

* * *

She put away the last of the orange juice before making room on the top shelf for the blood bags and laying them all out. She counted fourteen pints, just as her friend in the local hospital blood bank promised. It should last her a week, as she promised herself not to drink from her mates in the meantime. Not that George wanted anything to do with her…

She swallowed the bitter thought and closed the fridge, carrying her blood and wine glass to the bedroom to pick an outfit for tonight. She caressed the new fabrics and smiled at the simple colours that now dominated her wardrobe, enjoying the change. This was a treat, and ordering the new furniture and heavy velvet blinds was also a treat in a way. The first part of her afternoon was spent arranging the blood supply and visiting her magical and muggle banks. If she was to live for centuries, she needed more than just her admittedly sizeable inheritance and savings. She was by no means a poor woman and she made smart investments after the war. But after some consultation with her banker, she made a few more investments in startups and slowly growing business to give them a boost and secure future income. Maybe she should think about investing into houses as well. She would have to call her banker after the holidays passed. It was Christmas Eve in four days and she wasn't sure she would be allowed to spend it with the family that she considered her own. She would have to ask tonight, though the thought of not seeing Roxy opening her gifts was too painful.

Knowing there was nothing she could do about it now, Hermione finished her glass and headed for a quick shower. She towered herself dry and wrapped the soft burgundy bath towel around herself as she puttered about until she dried off completely. It was then that her floo roared to life and a blur with wild dark curls was spat out onto her rug.

"Mimi?" the call was soft and tearful and tugged on Hermione's heart the moment she heard it.

"Roxy! Are you hurt? What are you doing here?" She asked as she jumped over the sofa and knelt beside her, pulling the little girl into her arms.

She was squeezed tight by those short arms of an eight-year-old and stood up, keeping Roxy on her hip as she felt her clinging on tightly. "You're back! I knew you would come back!" she hiccuped, large crocodile tears falling onto Hermione's pale shoulder.

"Shhh it's alright baby girl, I'm right here," he soothed, caressing her little back. "Now you answer me, are you hurt anywhere?" she asked, smooching her cheek to make the tears go away like she always did when Roxy was upset.

"No, but uncle Freddie said you're coming for dinner and daddy didn't want me to come see you," she hiccuped again, burying her head tiredly into Hermione's neck, the stress of missing her Mimi and daddy being mean taking a toll on her.

"Shhh it's alright, Mimi is here to make it all better," She said gently and walked around the flat, holding her tight on her hip, the task now much easier as her arms won't get tired.

She felt Roxy fall asleep and kissed her forehead gently, just walking and swaying around to keep her fast asleep. She knew it wouldn't be long before one of the twins or both came searching for her in her.

And true to word George came through the flames, immediately spotting them and sighing in relief that he found her before tensing again, realising Hermione was holding onto her. Hermione suppressed a sigh of irritation. She may be a vampire but the little girl in her arms was a daughter to her. She would never harm her and George knew this. Roxy trusted her, and Hermione hoped that it would give her father a reason to trust her again.

She walked towards him and gently handed her over, caressing her soft little cheek when she whimpered a bit in her sleep before stepping away.

George looked down at his daughter before looking back up at Hermione and nodded. "She'll probably be out for the rest of the night now. I would still like you to come have dinner with us though," he said after taking a deep breath, seeing Hermione treat Roxy with utmost care and love softening his resolve slightly.

Hermione nodded. "I'll be through in 10 minutes, I'll just get dressed," she agreed and headed for her bedroom while George flood back home.


	12. Chapter 11

**AN: Dear all,**

 **I hope you all had a very special Valentine's day, and with a slight delay due to an impromptu long weekend away from writing, here is the next chapter of Poisoned Heart. Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 **25** **th** **December 2006, 2.18 am**

Hermione took a sip from her cuppa and sighed contentedly, glad for the hot drink. It wasn't that she was particularly cold, another perk of being a vampire, but she still enjoyed the hot liquid sliding down her throat and warming her from the inside. As long as she kept up her two pints of blood a day, she was good to eat and drink whatever she wanted, her body processing it naturally. There was however a moment where she thought Roxy's curiosity could lead to a heartbreak but in the end she shouldn't have underestimated how smart her little girl was.

 _"_ _What is that, Mimi?" Roxy asked curiously as she set a few blood bags into the fridge for her two nits of stay over Christmas. She was relieved the twins agreed on having her over from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day, but at the same time she felt torn between wanting to relax and be freely with her mates and little one, and battling her instinct to be affectionate with George who was still keeping distance between them. She knew this question was coming._

 _"_ _These are two bags of blood, specifically O positive," she showed her when Roxy stepped closer to have a look._

 _George looked like he was about to snatch her away from the situation but Fred squeezed his shoulder and held him in place._

 _"_ _And why do you have those? Isn't blood icky?" she asked curiously, her face scrunched up between curiosity and disgust._

 _"_ _No, it's what you have in your body, and daddy, and uncle Freddie," she reassured._

 _"_ _And you?" she of course had to ask._

 _"_ _Yes, and me," she promised._

 _"_ _So why do you have more?" of course, there was no escaping it now._

 _"_ _Because I have to drink it to stay strong and healthy," she explained._

 _"_ _Like a vampire?" she clapped her hands excitedly._

 _"_ _Exactly like one, because I am one," she waited for her reaction._

 _"_ _That's amazing! Are you like Dracula? Can you transform into a wolf? Can you fly? Can you sparkle like the Cullens?" she asked excitedly all at once._

 _The last one particularly made Hermione laugh, knowing she was the victim of her own reading material as she read Roxy the Twilight book that came out the previous year and the little girl loved it. Roxy loved tales about magical creatures, both from their work and from Muggle fiction, which made Hermione hopeful that she would be accepted. "Well let's see. I am like draggle but I don't have wings when I change into my vampire form, and I don't have to sleep in dirt," she promised, tickling her sides to make the little girl giggle. "I can't transform into a wolf, and I can't fly but I can run very fast, and I can jump very high," she promised._

 _"_ _Like to the ceiling high?" Roxy asked completely thrilled._

 _"_ _Even higher," Hermione grinned._

 _"_ _Show me!" Roxy positively flutter clapped._

 _Hermione smiled and stood before she jumped up, light as a feather and lithe in the air as she turned around in the air, rolled over the ceiling before falling back down on the tips of her toes._

 _"_ _Cool!" Roxy beamed._

 _"_ _I can't sparkle though," Hermione said, putting on a sad but brave face. She could see Fred dying to laugh from the corner of her eye._

 _"_ _That's okay! You're still amazing. Can I see your vampire face?" she asked excitedly._

 _Hermione hesitated but nodded and knelt down, shifting her features until her eyes filled with vermillion and her sharp canines lengthened. Roxy reached for them but Hermione took her hand gently, only letting her touch the length of them and kept her carefully away from cutting her skin on the sharp point. She gently took her hand away and shifted back to her human features._

 _"_ _You're still very pretty," Roxy hugged her tightly, surprising Hermione._

 _"_ _Do you mind that we are different?" She asked, remembering a conversation once when they talked about her their different skin colour._

 _Roxy shook her head vigorously against her shoulder. "I don't care that we are different. I still love you, Mimi," she nodded to herself._

 _Hermione rubbed her back gently. "I love you too, Roxy," she whispered, looking over her shoulder at the twins._

 _Fred looked proud at his niece and mate, happy to be matched with a woman of Hermione's qualities. She saw George had his reservations but he was warming up to the idea of her nature at the sight of his daughter accepting her so freely._

Hermione smiled fondly at the memory and realised she managed to finish her tea. She got up and headed for the kitchen to put the kettle on, surprised to hear movement in the twins' bedroom. Silent footsteps padded over to the living room where they paused, probably noticing the blanket and book left out by her, and then headed for the kitchen were the kettle was bubbling softly. "Tea?" she asked, using her senses and with surprise recognised the scent as George.

Before she had a chance to turn around, lean but strong arms wrapped around her and she felt the warm nude chest against her back as George looked over her shoulder. "Hey….would you like a cup of tea?" she asked, enjoying the first comforting touch from him since the day of her return.

"What kind of tea are you making?" he asked, resting his chin on her shoulder.

The thin tank top she was wearing was doing nothing to stop her skin from soaking up George's warmth as Hermione opened the tea and coffee cabinet. "I was going to have the lemon verbena. What would you like?" she asked, closing her eyes to savour the way his hands were caressing her belly and wrapping around her body to hold her closer.

"I'm good," he hummed against her ear.

She couldn't bear it and turned around in his arms to ask him what this sudden warmth meant, but she was silenced by a gentle kiss. She melted into the embrace and held him just a little tighter, wanting to convey how much she adored his change of heart.

Once they parted, she raised her eyes to him, whiskey and blood fighting for dominance in her irises. He got lost in her gaze or a moment before pulling her closer. "Yes," he said simply, knowing she would understanding the meaning of his consent.

"Are you sure?" she asked, not having expected him to be so quick to come around. Then again, it hasn't been that quick. He had three weeks since her abduction to contemplate the options, the past, and the possible future. She was just happy that he was finally agreeing to be her mate, something inside her chest loosening in happiness and making her shudder in pleasure.

He simply nodded and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I am sure. When I saw you with Roxy, I realised that you could never hurt her, and I could never take you away from her. Most of all, I can't imagine our lives without you," he admitted, having taken the time to think about it. He hadn't even slept, just lay there, all these thoughts churning in his mind until he came to the conclusion that he could not live without this woman in his life.

"I love you…" she whispered the words that she had spoken before but as a friend, a confidante, a co-parent in all technicality. This time, she was saying the words as a lover.

George inhaled sharply and she could sense his heartbeat fasten, his pulse momentarily distracting her as she gazed at the thick vein underneath the pale skin on his neck. "I love you too," he whispered back and pulled her into another kiss, snapping her put of her reverie. "Come to bed…" he surprised her completely.

"Is Fred..?" she began asking, wondering what kind of invitation this was.

"Awake and waiting," George took her hand and hey let the kettle boil and switch off by itself as they headed for the twins' bedroom.

* * *

There was discomfort but mostly the sensation of fullness as they got into a comfortable rhythm, George beneath her and Fred behind her, his hands possessively squeezing her hips as they moved together to sate the need for closeness and becoming one.

Her back was painted in faint red rivulets as sweat and a few drops of blood from Fred's mating wound dripped onto her with his quickening thrusts. She was drawing closer to her release and the need to complete the circle and claim her other mate was becoming difficult to suppress. Her fangs lengthened and vermillion gaze turned towards George, searching for any hesitation, any sign of uncertainty. She found none as George reached up to pull her gently by the neck down to his neck.

The bite was unlike anything he'd ever experienced, a moment of searing pain before the sensation of being connected to his twin unlike ever before, and Hermione's pulsing burgundy aura drawing him in to connect with her as well. The moment their beings aligned completely, they all hurtled towards their release, Hermione pulling away from the mating mark to ride out her pleasure before they collapsed in a heap. They were mated, they were one, and despite being completely spent, they were still kissing and soaking each other's presence when the clock on the wall showed five in the morning…

* * *

Hermione stretched languidly, feeling wonder at the fact that she may not be sore she definitely felt their joining last night. Images of their twined bodies, being stretched out between the twins as they all joined together were making her care more of their touch. But their breathing was even and after claiming them both with a bite, her appetite was sated. Now that they were mated, she would only need to feed from her mates once a week, or smaller sips maybe twice a week, or so the books said. She was looking forward to finding out if it was the case.

She blinked her eyes open and her gaze fell on Fred who was laying on his side close to her, the two small puncture wounds left by her teeth slowly growing from a bruised purple to silver right before her eyes. They would forever be there, marked by her.

Her heart grew a bit heavier at the thought of ageing. She would forever remain 28 while the twins were nearing 30 fast. They would probably slow in ageing after that, being a vampire's mate had its perks, but there would come a time when they will have to make a decision to either age or let Hermione change them so they could all spend an eternity together. And what about Roxy? Would she ever want to be turned? Could they bear to watch her grow old and one day leave them? Her mind swirled with questions she wouldn't know answer to for a long time. The bite was both a blessing and a curse, and she now knew how Remus had felt about his own werewolf curse.

The sounds of little bare feet on the warm wooden floorboards were unmistakeable and Hermione had very little time but with her quick reflexes she slid out of the bed and in her sleeping shorts, just about hanging to pull on her scrappy top before the door inched open. Roxy was usually a great natural alarm clock, and sometimes liked to crawl into bed with the twins or with Hermione when she was staying over. This time though, she was going to let the boys have a lie in after last night, and would leave the clean up of the sheets to them.

Before the door could open she slipped out and picked Roxy up in her arms. "Good morning," she smiled, looking into her sleepy but beaming face.

"Mimi you're awake! Is daddy awake?" she asked as Hermione carried her in to the kitchen.

"Daddy and Uncle Freddie are still sleeping, so we best be quiet," she sat the little girl up on the counter next to the sink and put the kettle on.

"Miiiimiiii?" Roxy drew her name out as a question, and Hermione suppressed a laugh, knowing what was coming.

"Yeeeeeees?" she replied while taking some mugs down for tea.

"Why were you sleeping in daddy's room?" she asked curiously.

Hermione thought for a moment about how to answer that question and decided to stick to her usual policy, honesty. "Well, you see Mimi loves daddy and uncle Freddie, and they love me. So we share and express that love, and it's very comforting to snuggle under the blankets with them. You snuggle with daddy and Mimi sometimes, yes?" she asked.

Roxy nodded. "It makes me sleep well and then you wake me up with tickles," she grinned.

"Well guess what, tomorrow I'll wake daddy up with tickles, but you can't tell him or he won't let me," she said conspirationally to the little girl who was giggling happily at this point.

"Promise. Can I have Mimi tea?" she asked, always asking Hermione to make her the muggle fruit tea that she always bought for her in a muggle supermarket.

"Of course you can. How about some French toast before we wake daddy and uncle Freddie up to open presents?" she suggested. "Will you get the eggs and milk from the fridge for me, please?" She asked her best little helper.

They were nearly finished with the French toast, when George sneaked in behind Roxy and picked her squealing form up to blow raspberries on her belly. Hermione smiled when she felt Fred's arms wrap around her waist and a kiss drop to her shoulder. "Morning love…" he whispered.

"Morning," she turned to kiss his cheek, vowing to herself that no matter how many centuries she lived for, she would never forget the first morning in their lives as bonded mates and as a family.


	13. Chapter 12

**1st September 2010**

Hermione counted the jeans and sweaters once more, making sure Roxy had everything in her trunk. She added one of her own old pashminas into the trunk, a beautiful blue one that Roxy favoured when she was younger. Maybe it would remind their little girl of home and make her less homesick.

George was the worst. They could both feel him getting more and more anxious over the summer as this day neared, knowing he would have to part with his little girl and only see her during the holidays again. Hermione knew it was going to be a big adjustment for them all but hoped that Roxy's absence would become at least a bit more bearable over time. And hopefully the fact that they were leaving for a holiday in a few hours would help distract their bond-mate.

"Mimi?" Roxy came in from the bathroom, looking nervous. She was growing into her features beautifully, her green eyes sparkling with intelligence like two precious gems, and her hair a riot of beautiful tight curls that reached her bottom when washed and brushed. Her nose was showing a couple of freckles that Hermione knew would either disappear with age, or become more pronounced. Her guess was on the second, but Roxy was going through a phase when she wasn't fond of them so she kept her guesses to herself.

"What is it?" she asked patiently as she added the last of Roxy's books into their compartment in the trunk.

"Uhm…my hair," she said uncertainly. "Will it….you know, fit?" she asked, tugging onto the sleeve of her green long sleeve top.

"Fit? What do you mean? Your hair is beautiful," Hermione asked, noticing her anxiety.

Roxy hesitated and shook her hair. "I know, I like my hair. But I don't know if others will like my hair! And the sorting hat! What if my hair so large it doesn't fit on my head?" she blurted everything out in a store of words that reminded Hermione of herself when she was younger.

She suppressed a laugh and sat the precious girl down, summoning one of the albums she had from their school years. She opened the album on the first page with a single photograph. Her parents, smiling a little uncertainly but proudly, and her 11-year-old self standing before them, absolutely beaming with excitement in her ill-fitting jeans and pink jumper. "See this little girl? That's me and my parents," she finally explained.

Roxy looked fascinated. "This is what you looked like when you were as old as me?" she asked. "But your hair! It's nearly as big as mine!" she exclaimed, pointing to the bushy mess on top of Hermione's head.

She chuckled in amusement. "I know you've only ever seen my curls like this," she pointed to the wild but well formed curls that fell just past her shoulders these days, "but this is what my hair was then. And all the way through my years at Hogwarts really…" she admitted. "Then I did my research and invested my galleons into some very good hair products and here, they look like this now," she offered, hoping the words would soothe Roxy's worries.

Roxy looked unconvinced for a moment, looking between the photo and her hair, but then nodded. "So…did your hair fit under the hat?" she asked suspiciously.

Hermione did laugh at that one and closed the album. "Yes, it actually did. It's a magical hat, I promise it will stretch around your hair, sweetheart," she caressed her tight curls lovingly. "Now, let's style it for today and I'm sure you'll know what to do while you're at Hogwarts," she steered her back into the bathroom to run over the products one more time.

* * *

George looked like he wanted to pick Roxy up on the spot and run away from the bustling platform as their little girl's trunk was put onto the train. She was looking around excitedly, grinning broadly when she spotted Teddy. Hermione sensed Harry and waved above the crowd to get his attention, smiling as they both jogged ver with his godson.

"Hey Roxy," Teddy grinned, as excited as Roxy despite being a second year.

"Hi Teddy. Daddy, can we get on the train?" she asked, looking at George.

He looked like he was going to say not for a moment so Fred nudged him and grinned at his niece. "You betcha. Come give uncle Freddie a hug," he opened his arms wide and hugged her tightly before she enduring George's five minute embrace while he rambled off the things she should do and shouldn't do and how often she should write them.

Hermione smiled at Harry, the one person she thought she had lost but was now close to once again as a dear friend. "Good morning, Head Auror Potter," she grinned.

"Madam Secretary of Foreign Affairs," he greeted back, the two of them forever teasing each other about their official titles used at Security summits both in the Muggle and Wizarding World.

"I'll give you a call in a couple of days, once we've settled in," she promised.

"You better," Harry said in a quieter voice to not be overheard. "I have something to discuss with you. We have a potential problem in Switzerland of all places," he said seriously, something Hermione learned to read as a potential international threat on the same level as he maker once was.

"I promise to call," she repeated before her attention was drawn to Roxy who was standing before her, looking like she wanted to both dash and stay at the same time.

She leaned down to speak directly into Roxy's ear. "Write your dad and uncle Freddie, but if you need anything, anything at all that you want to talk to me, you have your mobile phone. And tonight after you get sorted, I know it will be all new and you will be getting to know your roommates, but please find a moment to text me and let us know which house you were sorted into," she whispered and hugged her tightly.

Roxy's arms squeezed her closer. "I don't know which house I want to be in. You were all in Gryffindor, and Teddy is in Hufflepuff which is cool. What if I'm not?" she asked.

"You will be brilliant in whichever house you are sorted into. The hat had it tough with me, it was considering me for all of the houses," Hermione whispered into her ear something she hadn't told anyone before. "But in the end I ended up with my friends. I know you will be brilliant, just let the hat show you your path," she said reassuringly and rubbed her back before gently pulling them apart.

Roxy waved at them once before she boarded the train with Teddy.

"I think I'm in shock," George pressed a hand to his heart. It seemed like the years flew by and here they were, a married triad with a little girl who was not so little anymore and off to Hogwarts.

While Fred consoled his twin, Hermione was once again reminded of how quickly time slipped through their hands, and hers, as she watched the twins getting their first silver strands at the temples, and Roxy growing before her very eyes.

"Are you alright, Hermione?" Harry wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

She nodded and leaned her head against his shoulder. "Somewhat. They'll be fine, I know it. I just hope school is everything she wants it to be, unlike our time at Hogwarts," she sighed.

They waved the train off, within go until the last carriage disappeared out of sight before Harry headed to work, and the bonded trio back to their home to finish packing. Later that day when they were just having lunch in one of the small cafes in San Francisco, Hermione felt her phone vibrating in her pocket. She checked the screen and smiled widely at the boys over her Caesar salad.

"We have a Hufflepuff in the house," she grinned proudly.


	14. Chapter 13

**13th March 2014**

Hermione set her small suitcase down in the hotel room and kicked off her Louboutins, the tight fit of the tall heels unforgiving to her little toes. She flexed her feet with a contented sigh and hung her suits and dresses up into the wardrobe. She barely settled in before her smartphone began buzzing incessantly.

With a fond smile she picked it up and swiped her finger over the green circle to accept the call. "How's my sweetheart?" she asked, her regular greeting for Roxy.

"Mum, it's happened," she blurted out anxiously.

Hermione picked up on her tone and tried to figure out what has happened before it clicked. "Oh, it happened? Are you alright or would you like me to send you something to help?" she asked, sitting down heavily. Their little girl was no longer a girl, she was a woman.

"I think I'll be okay, Henriette and Julia helped me get some pads in the shop, and the new Potions professor, Miss Ravenheart, lets us brew our own pain potions for extra credit every month. The worst thing is the bloating though, all my jeans are so tight. Do you think I should get some fat jeans?" she asked, using a term Hermione frowned over.

"What do you mean fat jeans?" she asked curiously.

"Fat jeans? You know, jeans that are one size bigger, for when I'm fat and bloaty?" Roxy sighed impatiently, a habit she picked up once her teenage years hit properly last year.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I know it's not nice to feel bloated, just wear your leggings or jeggings instead, they have more give with the elastic on the waist. And stop calling them fat jeans, that is mean and could insult someone who has body image issues. You have your mother's frame, all tall and lanky, just be glad you're healthy and your body is doing what it's supposed to do, that's the most important part," she stressed, getting up to unzip her skirt to get comfortable.

There was a moment of silence before Roxy sighed. "You know that you're my mum though, right?" she asked softly.

Hermione's lips stretched into a wide smile. "Of course I know, sweetheart. I may not have given birth to you but you will always be my Roxy, my little girl," she promised.

When Roxy replied, she sounded entirely too sad and homesick. "I love you, mummy."

"I love you too, Roro," she used her special nickname for the little girl that she hasn't used since she was 5.

"I promise to write dad and papa Freddie. À bientôt," she said lastly and hung up. Hermione smiled sadly. They never said goodbye, only see you soon.

She barely finished her call with Roxy when her phone rang again. "Hello?"

"Hello gorgeous," a very familiar voice greeted her. She could practically see Fred's grin by his voice.

"How's my favourite prankster?" she asked, laughing when she heard shuffling and a crash in the aground, and the phone was put on loudspeaker.

"I heard that!" George called from somewhere in their house, making Hermione grin.

"Good, you were supposed to," she replied cheekily, enjoying the flying banter. "Is there a reason why you're calling though? Cause this place has a luxurious bathtub and I plan to spend the next half an hour of my life in it," she stretched, her back popping in a few places. It was funny how close to human she felt when she was tired…

"Well, we thought there was something you might want to know about but it can wait," Fred said innocently, the correct words to only make her more curious of course.

"You are evil," she huffed. "What is it?"

A makeshift drumroll sounded in the background before George finally put her out of her misery. "We received an invitation to the wedding of Lord Potter and Lord Malfoy."

"Holy shit, finally!" she positively exclaimed, having waited for the two to actually tie the knot for years. "I swear I was going to hex them if they didn't get round to it some time this year. All of us?" She asked.

"Of course. The three of us and Roxy, plus one if she wanted to bring anyone," Fred was still grinning. She could just see his handsome face with the little crows feet around his smiling eyes, making her own lips stretch into a loving smile.

"I hardly think that will be necessary. Teddy is already going," she snickered.

It was love at first sight between those two, but they were currently doing the whole teenage thing where Teddy was being stubborn and chasing Victoire Weasley, and Roxy was not wasting any time and dating her way through the fifth years in Slytherin and Ravenclaw. The last one she mentioned was Timbly…Tombly…Tumbly-something, she couldn't remember anymore. But she never brought anyone home, and Hermione could very well see the look of adoration her daughter had for Teddy Lupin only.

"Teddy is apparently bringing Victoire. It's hilarious because Harry is trying to knock some sense into him, Bill is forever rolling his eyes when he sees the boy because Victoire is trying to decide whether she finds him amusing or annoying, and Roxy is just being stubborn and sending eye daggers at Victoire in the corridors. Teen drama everywhere. I swear it's the most exciting thing around here when you're gone on business," Fred teased.

Hermione sighed, missing her mates' presence. "Hopefully I won't be longer that two or three days. We'll see how the talks go. Werewolves can be stubborn," she mused, her current mission in Bucharest a challenging one for sure.

"Alright love, we won't keep you. Speak tomorrow?" George, now closer to the phone, sounded like he was missing her.

"I'll give you a call while I'm having dinner," she promised. "I love you, night," she waited for them to reply before disconnecting the call.

As she slipped into her hot bath a few minutes later, she sighed contentedly and thanked the fates for all that she had. Loving bond mates and mates for life, a beautiful daughter that she was planning to adopt official as a Christmas present for the whole family, and she loved her work as the Liaison for Magical Creatures to the European Wizarding states. She was happier than ever and everything was perfect.

Except, it wasn't….

It was true, she was happier than ever, married, proud of her daughter and doing a job she loved. But with every day that passed, she felt more and more removed from human time and the weight of the mortality sitting on her shoulders at the same time. The tiny wrinkles and crows feet that began to on the faces of her husbands would never appear on hers. She would never have more grey hair than the patch at her temple from cruciatus, while the twins would soon begin to show their age. And it was beginning to frighten her, the prospect of having to make a decision. She knew it was coming. Roxy will grow up, graduate, and move on to do amazing things, and it will be just the three of them, with the decision to be made - age or change?

The prospect of robbing her mates of their natural mortality was chilling. At the same time she couldn't imagine watching them grow older and eventually leave this world, with her forever stuck as she was.

Tick, tock.

The clock was ticking, and she was powerless in the face of its power.

* * *

 **AN: One more chapter to go before the epilogue! I hope you are still enjoying the story as much as I am enjoying writing it!**


	15. Chapter 14 - Epilogue

**EPILOGUE**

 **30th June 2017**

Hermione whistled while the two mean surrounding her clapped loudly, a couple of small fireworks going off and making everyone chuckle. It wouldn't be Roxy's parents if fireworks weren't involved on such a beautiful day. Their little girl was little no more. Graduating today top of her class, Head Girl, and Captain of the Hufflepuff Team, Hermione couldn't have been more proud if she tried. She heard George sigh a little beside her and squeezed his hand.

He looked at her quizzically so she smiled, her words spoken softly, knowing no one but the twins would hear her anyway. "Don't worry, Angie wouldn't miss this for the world. I bet there's one hell of a party going on in the afterlife right now."

He leaned down to kiss her cheek and they watched Roxy receive her diploma before the ceremony ended and they headed down from their seats to greet her. She took a while to wade through the crowd but beamed proudly at an equally beaming Hermione, throwing her arms around her shoulders.

"Finally!" Roxy squeezed her tightly.

"You did it, we are so very proud of you," Hermione caressed her beautiful thick locks that were straightened for the occasion and reached all the way to her bottom.

"Thank you, mum. For everything," she whispered in her ear.

Hermione kissed her cheek. "Hush, you are the maker of your own destiny," she replied before they were squeezed near to death in a fourway Weasley sandwich.

"Our little girl,-" cried Fred theatrically.

"-has grown so fast," wailed George along with him, making Hermione stifle hysterical laughter.

"Dad! Papa!" she bemoaned.

"Stop it you two before you scare all of your daughter's friends away," she batted them away, seeing Roxy's eyeroll at their antics. Still a moody teenager then, it was good to see the snippets of the girl she once was.

"I just need to grab my bags and we can head off?" she asked.

"Sure," Hermione nodded to her husbands to go get her trunks so they could apparate. Once alone she smiled at her daughter knowing. "Shall we let you have some more time to change for the party?" she asked, knowing well there was a special someone Roxy want to impress.

"Do you mind? It took me two months to find the dress and it took me three potions this morning in the shower to get the hair monster to behave, " she said impatiently.

"Don't worry about it. We'll send the boys ahead, they'll need to check on the venue, and we can have some girl time to get ready. And to do something about your hair," she teased, knowing Roxy loved the elaborate braids and plaits she created for her.

"Deal," she agreed before her features shifted into a mask of horror. "Oh no, mum, they're talking to Teddy. This is so embarrassing," she hurried off to stop the twins from scarring her love interest too much.

Hermione shook her head but the smile remained on her lips. Nothing could make this day more special than seeing Roxy ending this chapter of her life, and knowing what she had planned for herself and her mates later on.

…

It was a spectacular evening. Harry and Draco insisted on helping and rented a large ballroom in one of the luxurious wizarding hotels in London. Just as the yule ball Hermione could remember from her fourth year, the decorations were lavish, the food and drinks were flowing now that everyone in the room was an adult, and Hermione used her contacts to get both a classical quartet for the first part of the evening, and the Weird Sisters to make the rest of it a bit more fun. Roxy's whole graduating class was dressed to the nines and mingling, some bringing their respective partners outside of Hogwarts, others bringing their parents and guardians. It was a mixed crowd of all houses and two different generations meeting for an evening and night of fun and dancing, and it was a great success.

"You know we could start an event planning business," Hermione leaned into her best friend with a grin.

Draco wrapped an arm around her waist contentedly and they clinked their glasses companionably. "I never thought I would be here," he admitted.

"What do you mean? Married and happy?" she teased, having walked in on the two men more times than she could count on both hands.

"In a way," his smile turning melancholy. "When we were seventeen, all we cared about was surviving the war and defeating the Dark Lord. I didn't think I would have a future with my name tarnished, parents dead, and our world in need of repair. I didn't want to follow in my father's footsteps and marry a nice Slytherin girl only to do my duty, pop out an heir, and hope that we can at least tolerate each other," he spoke frankly, as he tended to do more often these days.

Hermione chalked it up to Harry's loving influence and open manner, and was glad to see her best friend opening up this way. "I'm glad that was not your future. You know you two used to make me wonder?" she teased.

"What do you mean?" he raised pale brow, a gesture that never changed and continued to intimidate people at the Ministry to both their delight

"You and Harry. I swear sometimes when you quarrelled, the air positively hummed with the tension between you two," she snickered.

Draco grinned like the cat that got the cream. "He was nothing like what he is now. I can't say it wasn't amusing and stress-relieving to argue with 'Potty', but I much prefer the man he has become," he admitted.

"I know. You've both found your equal," she turned to kiss his cheek in friendly affection.

"As have you," Draco grinned, his gaze returning to hers from across the crowd. "You know they haven't stopped watching you this whole time?" he asked nodding in their direction.

Hermione only smiled mischievously. "I know, I can feel their eyes on me. They know tonight is the night," she admitted.

Draco's smile widened. "Finally?"

Hermione nodded. "It's time. Roxy is leaving for Italy with Teddy tomorrow morning. It's time that we do this and start a new chapter as well."

Draco pulled her into a tight embrace that she returned happily, breathing in his comforting scent. "Promise you won't be gone long?" he spoke close to her ear.

"I promise. We'll need a few weeks to adjust but we'll back and the first thing we'll do is come see you," she promised and kissed his cheek.

Draco let her go and they shared one last smile before Hermione headed for the twins and her destiny. The moment she was standing before them, they all linked hands and disapparated home to start a new chapter in their lives.

…

She gasped at the burst of pleasure when Fred reached between them and toyed with the little button of nerves above the place where they were joined. Her body ever so sensitive felt every caress of his hand, every thrust, every press of his lips against the slick skin of her shoulder. It was torture, it was heaven, and she felt herself climbing toward a climax. Their eyes met and her hips rose and fell over loins, impatient to be connected in the most precious of ways.

With a nod, Fred gave his consent for the final stage in their mating and bared his neck, allowing Hermione to lean forward and sink her sharp teeth into his skin. The moment the thick blood touched her tongue, Hermione gripped his shoulder as her body tightened and muscles quivered in indescribable pleasure. They both tumbled over the edge of pleasure, magic dancing along their skin and connecting in new and unfamiliar ways.

Hermione drank and drank, feeling Fred's grip on her body loosen as he grew tired…and sleepy…. and slowly slipped into subconsciousness. Hermione licked his wound clean and cut her wrist open, the blood dripping down his throat and reviving him momentarily, his body convulsing as human death took him and his immortal life began.

She turned towards George who was lying beside them, the need to finalise her bond with her second mate now urgent. She was welcomed into his arms and their bodies were joined near immediately, the impatience in both of them….

…..

The change was slow but steady and Hermione watched over her mates for two days, bathing them and dressing their bodies in simple sleeping pants for their comfort once they woke. Her own awakening into immortality was messy and itchy, and she hoped to bring her mates more comfort. Her mates, her immortal lovers, her partners in life. They were finally one.

She covered them both with a blanket and curled up between their still and changing bodies, hoping they would wake up soon.

…

"It's so….bright…" Fred sighed, caressing the smooth calves draped over his lap. The soft breeze on the balcony was delightful, the stars twinkling above them, barely visible through the lights of the city to a human eye, but not to them. They could see everything.

Hermione smiled and sipped her glass slowly. "You'll get used to your senses being so active, I promise. What else has changed?" she asked, wanting to find out about their change.

"You feel different," George hummed into her hair, enjoying having his mate sitting in his lap.

"Different how?" she frowned.

"Warmer, more open. I can feel you now, your emotions, your slowly pulsing heart, your skin….it tingles when I touch your skin…." George mused, caressing her arm.

"I hope that never changes," she smiled and kissed the corner of his lips affectionately.

"When do we leave?" Fred asked, their planned getaway plans kept a secret from them.

Hermione set her glass down once finished and stood. "Whenever you're ready. We're going to Paris, I rented an industrial atelier that was converted into a flat. We can test your resilience and resistance to drinking from humans," she explained with a smile.

"Are you sure it's wise for us to be around humans so soon?" George worried as he always did.

"You'll be fine, I know it. You'll enjoy French O negative and their sea food," she promised.

"Then let's go, I want to celebrate the new start to our lives," Fred kissed her lovingly and they headed to the bedroom to pack.

Hermione smiled, her whole being emanating absolute joy. Who knew what future would bring, and she knew it would be difficult at times, but she was prepared to embrace eternity with these two men by her side and a daughter she would may not have birthed, but would always cherish and be grateful for.

* * *

 **AN: Dearest followers and readers,**

 **Thank you all for taking the time to read this story. I decided that it was time for an epilogue and to leave the possibilities of what their future may look like open and up to your imagination. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed exploring and writing it.**

 **Always,**

 **Sybilla**


End file.
